Imprisoned Love
by C3C3g1r7
Summary: Levy was a closed-off slave in the Phantom Lord Guild. And Gajeel was her cold hearted master. But maybe both weren't what they seemed- really bad at descriptions. Suggested Stockholm Syndrome and slight dark scenes. rape scenes talked about of other characters but not shown (not Levy). read at discretion. (I don't think it's that bad though but I don't know how others would feel)
1. Chapter 1

"Run levy!" She heard her father scream behind her pushing her out her bedroom an onto the roof.

"Dad!" She said shaking tears running down her face.

"Climb down the escape ladder and hide in the forest."  
There was a banging in the hallway outside her bedroom door.

"Dad I'm scared!"

He reached out the window and kissed her on the forehead. "I know. Run and keep running, go to Magnolia, a place called Fairy Tail and give Master Marcov this." He put a metal locket around small neck, it had her families crest of an open book with a dragon in it. She recognized it instantly of it being the one he always wore that had belonged to her mother. He'll now what to do."

"Dad."

"What did I say?" The banging and yelling were getting closer to her door.

"Go to Magnolia, Fairy Tail, give this to Makarov. But daddy-"

He pushed her gentle. "Good. Now go, I love you. Run and Live Levy. Stay alive. You need to live."

She nodded, crying, she climbed down the vines that grew on the wall until her small feet hit the ground.  
When they did she heard the door blast open. She cringed and ran into the forest. She hid behind a tree and watched. She saw her fathers back in the window.

"Jose!" Her father yelled. "I've payed you in full! What more do you want?"

"You now why I'm here." Came a sharp angry voice. "You took something very important to me. And I need it back."

"I don't know what your talking about."

"Silence!" The man hit her dad and he fell and landed on the edge of the window. He looked out and she knew he saw her.  
She had never seen her father so scared. She saw him mouthy the word run but she couldn't move, her feet frozen in terror.

The man grabbed his shirt and spun him around to face him again. "I know you're lying, now give it here."

"Never."

Jose laughed. "Very well. Die, I can find it on my own."

There was a black light and the opened window shattered and a body fell out. Levy looked at her fathers died mangled body on the ground in front of her.

"Master." She heard over head and looked up and saw a shadow with red eyes starting at her out the window her father had been tossed out of.  
Jose looked out the window. "Do what you like with her, she's of no importance. Jut like her worthless father."

Levy sucked in her breath and sprinted into the forest. _What is happening?_ She was still unsure. All she knew was her dad, her only family, was dead and something was chasing after her.  
_Run._ Was all she told herself to think. She shouldn't have stayed that long.  
She heard sounds of her assailant after and then nothing but her own breath. She dared to glance back once and did see him.

_Has he given up the chase?_ She wasn't about to find out.  
She never stopped until she lost her footing and tripped over a root.  
She fell hard on the ground tumbling with her momentum and when she looked up a pair of black boots stood in front of her.

She looked up and in the moonlight saw two red eyes stare down at her.  
_How?_

He laughed, he wasn't even out of breath. "Gihihi, what do we have here? You're a hard one to follow."

"Don't, kill me." She begged through gasping breath.

"Kill you." He reached down and grabbed her by the hair and lifted her up. "That would be to boring."

He looked her over, his face gave nothing away. He was tall, we being at least a foot and a half taller then her. "Tell me, how old are you?" She didn't say anything an he shook her tugging her hair till she was sure it would pull out. He pressed her against a tree.

"Speak or maybe I will kill you." One of his fingers turned into a metal knife and he tapped her throat.

She swallowed. "Thirteen."

"Hmph. Not much to play with then. But still. I need a new slave." He lifted her over his shoulder effortlessly.

"Let me go!" She squirmed. And he squeezed her side painfully claws digging sharply into her side.

"Shut it," he growled. "Either die here and now or shut the hell up and keep quiet. Your choice."  
She stopped struggling. _Stay alive. Live Levy_. Her dads last wish.

_Is this what he meant? _She clenched her fists and forced her tears to stop as she went limp.

He laughed. "Wrong choice. You're mine now."

She cringed at his words,_ please protect me dad_.

From all the adrenalin, fright, and running levy soon passed out on the red eyed mans shoulder her last sight of her freedom and past was cloud of smoke coming from her once safe home over the tree tips.

* * *

The next time she woke up she was laying on a thin mat with a ragged blanket on top of her.

"Good you're up. Put those clothes on and follow me."

Levy looked up at a older girl with black hair in a plain old red dress, brown belt, and boots. "Where am I?"

"Phantom Lords Guild, or our own personal slice of hell, whichever way you want to look at it."

"Where will you be taking me?"

"To your new master. Now get dress."

She looked down on her night gown. It was torn and covered in dirt and ash, not decent to be walking around in. But she didn't want to put on the other clothes, they were plain and harmless but they scared her.

Shaking slightly she pulled on the Dull blue dress that was much to wide for her along with a pair of worn down sandals.  
She brushed some of her tangled wild blue hair out of her eyes Looking around she couldn't see anything to put her messy hair up. but only seeing the ragged muddy night gown, her father had given it to her from his last trip. She bent down and tore it into long strips, it would be useless for anything else and it kept part of her old life with her.

One she used as a bandana for her head band and the thicker one for a tie around her waist so the dress didn't hang off her so awkwardly.

"Hurry up! You don't want him angry." Levy tucked her mothers pendant in her dress, thankful she still had it, and follows after the older girl. "Why's you're name?"

"Levy."

She nodded. "Call me Cara. Now Listen carefully, I'll only say this once, don't make eye contact, don't stand out. Though that may be hard with your hair color but your size will help them over look you. Why do they bring small girls back?"

She said that last part to herself but it made Levy shivered at what she might be going at. She was thirteen but she wasn't ignorant. "Do not talk back and it's better to refer to them all as Master. Even the lower mages." She pointed to a large building where levy could hear men yelling and fighting. "If you can, keep away from there, it's the main Guild area, stay away especially at night and early morning until you get older, it's when they are at their worst."

Levy only nodded.

"You are to be Gajeel Redfox's personal slave girl, he needs a new one."

"Ah, what happened to his old one?"The girl only looked at her sadly and didn't say anything. And Levy grew even more scared.

"Just obey him and you'll do fine. Back where you woke up is the laundry, the slave girls, like us, sleep behind there. Never venture out at night, it's for your own safety. Up ahead is where you will work. His area is in the top left tower." Levy looked up at a large building like castle. It was larger then her own home and that had been huge! But while her place had been sunny and warm this seemed dark and cold. A large cloud hung over the other side of the building.

"Why is one side of it covered in a rain cloud?"

"That's Mistress Juvia, she is one of the top Guild Members, you'll learn who they are. And Juvia, she's always in a bad mood. Much like everyone else around here. You now how to cook? Clean?"

Levy nodded, she and her dad cooked all the time and she help out the maids many times when her father wasn't around and they were taking care of her.

"Good, it will help. Oh and one last thing." She knelt down and grabbed her shoulders. "I may not know you but I see you're a good, smart girl, so I'm warming you. If he ever tries to, have you," Levy's eyes grew big. "Stay calm, don't react at all. And just say anything, you aren't good enough, you'd break, you'd only be a disappointment and am untrained, tell them you'll call another girl. Anything you can think of to get him to not do it. But Don't tell him no, or get scared. Men like that."

"I am scared."

"Don't start crying though, never cry."

Levy blinked her dry eyes. She hadn't even thought of crying. Could she still cry?

"Now, I have to go to the bar. Go through that back door, never the front. Go up the stair case and at the top turn left, his is the metal door. Knock on the door wait for him to let you enter and keep your eyes on the ground. Do what he says except if he asks you to do what I warned."

Levy nodded. "I don't want to."

"You have to." She stood up. "Welcome to your new home. You will probably die here like the rest of us." She turned and walked away.

Levy reached up to her mothers pendant under her dress. -_live Levy, stay alive_-

_I will dad, I'll escape this place_. _And survive this Gajeel_. She looked up at the windows that were suppose to be his. But in scared daddy. I don't think I can.

She shook her head and let in a shaking breath before walking up the stairs and found the metal door and knocked.

"Enter."

She slipped in the door and looked down like Cara warned her. She didn't say anything.

"Finally woke up, should punish you but I'm in a good mood."  
She heard him get up and walk over to her.

"Now," he grabbed her chin and lifted it up. "What should I have you do first?"

She met two red eyes and her legs felt weak but she kept her ground. It was him, the one you caught her last night. In the new light she realized he was younger then he thought. Eighteen was her guess, but that didn't comfort her in the slightest. He was grinning at her with those Razor teeth and red eyes. His black hair somehow kept his face in a shadow and his huge form towered over her. He looked ready to kill. _A good mood?_

"I don't care." She said giving him a hard look. Wrong move.

He leaned in close. "Don't defy me you weak scum." He back handed her across her face. And she fell to the ground holding her cheek. "Now, go get my food. And don't be slow. I hate to have to find a new one so soon."

She got up from the floor. And looked down on the floor. "Yes Master."

He snickered. "That's better, now move it."

She walk out of the room and half way down the stairs she fell her legs giving out. She collapsed on the steps finding it hard to breath.

_So scary_. She wanted to cry but couldn't. She caught her breath and touched her stinging cheek, still no tears. _I'll find a way out. Soon enough I will._

She stood up and walked down the stairs.

* * *

Two year later. (15 years old)

"I found her!" She heard a man yell behind her and then laughing.

_No_, She didn't stop running though and pushed her body farther through the forest.  
Got to keep running. Live.

It had been two year till she found her escape. And it had been two years of nothing but orders, fear, worry, and bruises. The low ranking mages of the guild where vile and crude creatures. Cara had kept her away from most of it but it still effected her.

A blast of something hit a tree next to her. She didn't scream but kept on running.

And she couldn't use her solid script to protect her, not that it was much in the first place. She had tried that the first month she had been there but she was so weak they easily caught her and they attached two bracelets that sent waves of shock if she used even the littlest magic. She had been able to escape but she couldn't get the bracelets off her wrists

Suddenly those bracelets sent a charge on energy through her arms.

_but hadn't used any magic. _She fell onto the ground in a spasm.

"I grow tired of this chase." she heard Jose greasy voice spoke up behind her. He must have a way to activate them without magic. She cursed herself, Why didn't she think of it?

"You know I don't like it when something from me is stolen or runs away. It makes me angry. Even if its one little girl." Jose grabbed her hair and lifted her by it. She screamed and kicked out at him. Another shock went through her bracelets and she went still. "Still after two years you have yet to learn your place. Just like your dead and useless father."

"Don't talk about my father like that." She hissed.

"Ho, ho, still has some fire in her." He tossed her to one of the Phantom Lord Grunts who hooked her arms painfully begins her. "We should teach her a lesson eh boys?"

"No!" She yelled as them laughed and carried her back to the Guild. She saw Gajeel in the back of the crowd giving her a nasty glare.

She looked away. He had warned her many times escape was inevitable, even if it was more of a threat then a warming. He had even caught her by himself on a few feeble attempts and it was then he would beat her badly.  
They pulled her into the guild house and up the stares.

"Let me go!"

"Silent." He slapped her. "I don't like it when weaklings like you think they can defy me." He turned to the crowd of men under him. "It's about time we showed this pet, what we do to those who misbehave."

"No-" she knew what that meant.

"Strip her."

"No!" She struggled. But hands held her down while others tore her dress off, even her necklace was tossed somewhere into crowd. When she was naked they laid her down on her chest on the table, in font of the whole guild.

"Please, no! I won't do it again. I'll never step out of line again." And it was the truth.

"To late for that." She looked over her shoulder at Jose and saw him standing by the fire. He held a rod into the fire.

"No!" She struggled and a hand pressed her head down.

"Just like a mustang, you have to keep with them, until they break. And the first step is to brand them." He pulled the rod out of the fire and at the end was a red hot emblem of the phantom guild. He brought it over and she could feel the heat before it touched her.

When it did she let out a horrible scream and she heard the guild laugh around her. She collapsed in pain. It was as if her back had been charred to the bone. Probably was.

"Next we ride them until they break."

"No." She barley was able to say through the pain as she felt something press next to lower self and her legs spread.  
She looked around the guild desperately. No one would help her. Cara wasn't there and even if she was she knew the other girls or even Cara could do nothing for her. Her eyes finally locked onto Gajeels. He was standing in the back corner of the guild next to the door. His eyes where deadly and staring at her.

"Help." She whispered a finally useless plea before shutting her eyes. He wouldn't help. No one would she knew this day would come eventually, it happened twice when she'd been here and while she never saw what happened she saw the result. Cana had always warned her that it would happen if she stepped out of line, something she couldn't stop doing. Maybe she'd pass out before it happened.

Then she heard a punch and the pressure behind her lifted.

"That's my slave." Growled a voice and her eyes flickered open for a second at recognizing it. "And I hate sharing."

"Gajeel." Said Jose in a stern voice.

"She's mine to break." Gajeel interrupted with a low growl. "It's no fun when they're broken. You owe me from the last one."

It was silent. She faintly heard Gajeels growl.

"Fine." Jose said in a bored voice. "Just don't let her do anything again. I know how you Dragons are so possessive about your items. Even the lowly ones."

A hand grabbed her ruffly and flipped her onto his shoulder the movement made her injury shoot pain through her body, so much it hurt to even scream or react.

"If you don't mind I'd like to play with it in private." He slapped her rear and she heard the guild cat whistle and laugh around but she hardly felt it from the pain of the marking.

He carried her out of the guild and through the cold air completely naked and then finally up to his room. He laid her on the bed and walked away.

She cringed and felt herself falling into darkness but she forced herself to stay awake. She was still in danger.  
She heard him come back and sit on the bed and she flinched.

"Please." She whispered, Cara had warned her never to beg but that was all she could do at this point.

She felt him touch her back and she was about to scream out when she realized his hands felt cool and slick. He slid them over her new burn mark.

She let out an involuntary moan of relief. It felt wonderful. Her mind went numb as the relief washed over her, the pain lessened as he added more of whatever it was onto her back on the injury.

When he pulled away she came back into reality and realized exactly who was doing that to her. She tried to move away but he held a hand down on the small of her back and pulled a blanket over her lower body. She cringed again as He trailed a hand over her lower back and up her side and she shook and tried to move away.

"Keep still." He ordered and She obeyed. Waiting nervously for his next move.

She didn't expect it. His hand trailed her back for a while sometimes coming very close up her sides to her chest where she involuntarily would shiver. But before long he pulled away and stood up.

"If you try that again I'll let them have you." He said harshly and she cringed. That was all he said before he stormed out of the door and slammed it shut.

She stared at that door a long time, half fearing he would come back, half...  
She didn't know what to think of it and she couldn't come to a conclusion, but from the events of that day Levy soon passed out despight not wanting to.

* * *

**R&R! **

**I have authors notes after the second chapter that I'd like you to read! Just goes over a couple things.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Three years have past since that night.

Levy woke with a gasp on her bed in the slave hall. This was followed by a large sneeze, a fit of coughing and a wave of pain in her head.  
_Damn cold_. She rarely got them but when they came they where bad. It was early autumn and like always the slave quarters weren't exactly the warmest. Most girls huddled together in their beds or just slept in the laundry room and that was enough to keep warm but still levy always managed to get sick.  
It was hell.

"Hurry up deary, you have work." The new Slave runner said, she had been around since before Levy had been here and she had never looked her then. And when Cara disappear one she quickly took the spot. She missed, Cara, the one who helped her first day, she was nice and tried to keep her and the younger girls as safe as possibly, the new one didn't. When she had disappeared one night around four years ago, Levy had felt like she lost her family again. She hoped that she had gotten out, but part of her knew that was only a hopeless wish.

Levy stood up swaying a little, _damn cold,_ she swore again and looked at her back in the mirror on the wall the slaves all shared. Her dress ties had fallen opened while she had slept and she could see her mark situated in the middle of her back just below the shoulder blades. It was crude and scarred but was obvious what it was.

She trailed her fingers along the mark, she couldn't feel the skin there anymore. It had been four years and she still had nightmares of that night. It didn't help to have this friendly reminder. She shook her head and tied her dress up, putting her hair in under a piece of cloth and one around her waist as usual.

"Come on you girl! He'll be comin home and if there isn't food you'll have it then."

Levy's spirit dropped slightly. "Yes Ma'am."

She scrambled to get her sandals on before running through the kitchen to grab his tray. Once in hand she made her way quickly across the area to his room, keeping her face down. She rushed up stairs, unlocked the door and slipped in.

She sat his food down on the table letting out a horrible sneeze, then went to the bathroom and washed her face, arms and feet, his bathroom was better then the one in the servants quarters and had warm waters. She cleaned her nose and eyes and washed her self enough so it wasn't to noticeable she had done it but still made her feel cleaner and healthier.

And feeling better she grabbed the first aid kit from under the sink and sat it under the table then walked over to the large fire place and soon brought the fire to life and soon it would be warming up the place and she did the same thing in Gajeels bedroom. Walking out of his room she caught her reflection in his mirror and frowned rubbing her arm.

_He would be giving me another bruise soon._ The one on her arm was about gone.

The only time he had actually ever beaten her was whenever she had tried to escape, and in those first few years she had tried that often. But since that night she hadn't tried again, and he had never given her another beating.

But just because he didn't beat her didn't mean he still didn't leave bruises. After that night he had started to grab her arm forcefully to where it left bruises or backhanded her across the face, but never more then once at a time. He always made sure the ones on her were visible so others could see them. It was random, he'd hurt her, then wouldn't until he noticed that she didn't have them anymore. At first she could sometimes go a couple weeks with out him raising a finger to her in harm.

It had confused her and scared her. It messed with her head. Was he being nice? At first she thought he was showing her a kindness, being more gentle with her, but then she realized after one night what it really meant.

It was because he was marking her as his own.

She truly figured that out the night when he discovered that when he was gone the men would played with her, teased her, and touched her. They had notice her the night of her marking and some had started to take an interest. But she had always gotten away before they went all the way though, she was able to deal with them and live with it.

Then Gajeel found out one night. He had come back early and she was outside the guild house with a man who she was having troubles getting away from.

And he had been angry.

She shivered at the memory, Angrier then she had ever seen him. After he beat up the guy who was with her before he dragged her up to his room. He beat her for the first time since the night in a long time. And it was also the last time he beat her like that. He yelled at her for tempting other men, going behind his back. She was his property and that no one touched his possessions. She was his and his alone.

After that was when he began to make sure marks where always on her, always visible, her arms, shoulders, sometimes the face, especially before he was gone on missions. Now she never got a break between bruises.

She hated it but realized, that after the other men figured out what he did to that man, she found that they did leave her alone when they saw his marks on her. And for that she was slightly grateful, one less problem to deal with. And it was better then getting beaten more often them that. She knew when to expect it and once it was over she wouldn't have to worry again until the next time. She was lucky in a way, she's seen how other girls where treated.

But she wasn't fooled, he was still the heartless cold man he was and always will be, the one who brought her to this hell home and kept her in it.

She shook her head agin, there was no point dwelling on the topic. The bruises where now only part of her life here as a slave, a routine that will be with her for the rest of her life.

She wasn't afraid of them anymore, she expected them. And now in a sick way she was more afraid when he was late on giving them to her.

_He's was probably pretty banged up as well right now,_ she thought And that brought a little pleasure to her for two reasons; One was that she was glad to know someone could beat him up, and two it meant she got to patch him up as well.

From her years here she had learned Jose gave him the hardest jobs and that usually meant he got beaten up, a lot. And it became her job to clean and bandage him afterwards. It was one of her sanctuaries working here. Ever since she was little she was putting bandages on injured birds and dogs, taking care of her friends when they got cuts and scrapes when they played. She always had a knack for it. That's even where she got her love for reading, she read tons of first aid book. She had also found a few in his room about stitches and a few other minor procedures.

Her medicine skills also kept her in Jose's favor and out of working in the bar. He saw her skill and kept her busy as sort of the guild doctor for the higher up mages, it was easier and cheaper then finding a new one after the last got killed by an angry customer. It allowed her to keep out of working in the bar, and that was more then she could ask for. Even if it was still dangerous being so close to the men and she did have a few close calls now and then with drunk ones. But she would take her chances there then in the guild house.

But her thoughts would be onedicone later, right now her mind drifted back to books...she walked over into Gajeels room.

It had been two years before Levy found out that Gajeel had taken the area of the building that was connected to the old library. Actually his room was the library. Only the books that where not in his arm reach where intact and had been covered in dust when she first found it. She had cleaned them up as part of her duty to keep his place spotless, which was hard considering it was him, and she soon took to reading them when he was away. She would sneak in here in the early morning and any free time and enjoy the peace and quiet.

It was ironic, being in the pit of her imprisonment was her only freedom.

She pulled the ladder out of the corner and climbed up to the book she had been reading.  
Hugging the book tightly she ran over to the window pulling a chair over to a spot that gave her a view of the courtyard while her not being seen from those on the grounds under her. She needed to watch out for Gajeel so she could put the book away before he got there.

She opened the book and was instantly swept away in the words of it.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

"Gajeel! How did it go?" Jose asked as he walked through the gates of Phantom Lord.

"Eh? Piece of cake."

"You look like crap." Said Totomaru.

Gajeel have him a hard look. He was a bloody mess and probably had a dislocated shoulder but he wouldn't show it. Especially to that flame ball. Gajeel never saw him taking on the types of jobs he did.

"Just a scratch." He snapped before turning to Jose. "Here."

He tossed bag of diamonds at Jose who caught it and inspected the dried blood on it before raising an eyebrow at Gajeel.

"Gihi, Took a little persuading." He said grinning.

Jose laughed and peered inside the bag before tossing it to Totomaru "I see. Good work. Get cleaned up and report back later this evening. We have a new target."

" 'Ight." He grumbled and walked off to his room glancing up at the window, smirking as he saw a speck of blue peeking out of the corner of his window. He already had a new target.

**TTTTT**

He opened the door to his room quietly. Unlike the rest of the place his room was very warm and clean. And smelled of food he noted.  
_Good girl._

He looked around and smirked. She was sitting in the corner where he had seen her blue hair, fast asleep. She was leaning against the curtain awkwardly seeming to have passed out. Has she been staying up late?

An open book laying in her lap barley staying by her hands resting on it.

_Idiot_, She was always reading. She thought he didn't notice it but he always saw how the books where kept very clean and whenever he came back he saw the ladder have moved left or right a couple inches.

He didn't understand why she read. It never interested him at all. But he had seen the way she glanced at his room and the books longingly when she thought he wast looking.

_Probably her own little escape from this place he thought grimly._

He remembered that night four years ago quite vividly as well, he could have brought her back himself but he wanted to teach her a lesson. She needed to learn that she couldn't escape.

A part of him had wanted to let her escape but he didn't want her gone. She was his and he didn't want anyone else to have her.

But even if he had let her get away they would have brought her back without his help. Jose was like that. Once his, always his. If he had a motto that would have been it. Even the smallest things he was greedy about.

He had learned that after the last girl...

He looked down at the sleeping girl and saw his bruises where almost gone. _She'll need another soon he thought._  
He pushed that out of his head not wanting to think about it and instead stared at her face. She looked so calm when she slept. Unlike the fake face he usually saw on her when she was around him. She would only show her real side once in a rare awhile. He liked her face better like this he thought.

He shook his head, and suddenly grew angry. _What was he standing around here for thinking about that?_ He can't be pitying this girl. He needed medical attention and she was forgetting her duties. He slammed the door shut and she bolted awake then sneezed loudly. He wanted to laugh at that but didn't instead grimaced.

"Sleeping on the job eh?" He scowled falling into the chair near the fire. "How should I punish you?"

"I'm, I'm sorry master. I lost track of time. It won't happen again." She tucked the book behind the long curtain and stood up, he didn't miss her swaying slightly, before shifting her dress and walking over._ So that's why she passed out, sick again._

"You're hurt Master let me heal you."

He nodded saying nothing and staring into the fire.

Levy ran to the bathroom for a bowl of hot water then grabbed the medical kit from under the table. When she had put the things down Gajeel suddenly pulled her into his lap so she sat facing him her knees on either side.

"Master your wounds-" He pulled on her dress making it tight on her body causing her to catch her breath and he brought his mouth to her neck sucky at smooth white skin. He also enjoyed she kept herself clean, unlike some of the women and men, and that included himself most of the time.

"I think I should punish you first." He growled and he felt her muscles tense. He pulled her roughly closer next to his chest with his good arm and trailed his lips across her neck sucking and biting, trying to get a reaction out of her.

"Master, would you like me to get one if the other girls up here for you? You would have much better time with one of them. I am also sick and I wouldn't want to get my Master sick as well." She didn't move at all and kept her voice uninterested. Gajeel and others have done this enough times for her to get good at it not feeling it, and not reacting. He would play and tease her sometimes getting very close but making up some reason why he wouldn't continue. All she had to do was not react. She'd seen others girls break and scream trying to get away and she saw how it spurred the men on. She was glad Cara had warned her.

All the same she was scared the first few times this had happened to her, but soon it became part of her routine, much like everything else around here.

He growled at how she reacted. She always did it and he hated it, he could never continue. He growled and grabbed her arm roughly and threw her off him onto the ground. She landed on the ground hard and the part he had gripped hit the medical kit. As she sat up she rubbed her arm. _That will bruise,_ she thought wearily. She did hate it but even after all these years she still bruise to easily.

"To tired for that kind of thing anyway. And I don't want to get infected with whatever disease you have." He spat then fell back in his chair. "Now, get back to these wounds. Won't fix themselves."

"Yes master." She said relieved all the same that it hadn't gone to far, and set to work. She let her mine switch to doctor mode and instead of seeing Gajeel as a master, saw him only as a patient. It helped with touching him.

"Take off your shirt. I can't see it properly."

"Can't, bloody arms dislocated."

_Again,_ she thought mentally rolling her eyes. She stood up and grabbed his arm, she had wondered why he hadn't used that hand as well. Resting her foot on the arm of the chair she yanked hard and precise until she heard the distinct pop of it falling into place. He growled but otherwise showed no pain.

"There." She siad going back to the med kit. "Please remove your shirt."

"You do it. It still hurts like bloody hell."

She looked at him, wide eyes for a split second before plastering on her monotoned face. "Very well Master."

She grabbed at his shirt and untucked it from his pants. She pulled it up and over his good arm and then head. She had to get very close to his face and felt him breath on to her skin of her neck and his nose rubbed against it causing goose bumps ran down her back.

She pulled the shirt the rest of the way off and placed it on the ground and inspected his chest. He had a slash down the side and a couple of small cuts and then finally a large purple bruise.

She bent in and touched it gently. "You must have bruised ribs." She muttered more to herself then him. She closed her eyes and felt along it. "At least they didn't seem to have broken, maybe a hairline fracture but nothing serious.

She then inspected the scar, i_t was made by a sword_. "Clean cut, your shirt had been clotting it until I took it off, good thing, you will need stitches though. Lie on the floor and I'll stick it up."

As he moved she lit the medical candle in the fire and then set to work cleaning the wound. As she did he closed his eyes.  
That's when she glanced around his body. She had to admit even if she hated him he had a strong body. She could see all his muscles formed and ridged, not bulky like some of the men here but lean, meant for speed as well as strength. She hated to admit it but she liked his body.

_If I had his body I could have escaped ages ago._

She shook her head. This is Gajeel, Your master. She finished cleaning the wound and applying numbing cream before heating the needle.  
She threaded it and positioned to start.

"Don't move." She said and she went to work. She heard him grunt in discomfort but other then that he did nothing. She worked quietly and quickly, her fingers pulling the needle through his skin with much practice and precision. It always amazed her how a thread and needle could be the difference for a wound. When she was done she gauzed it before he sat up and she set to work on his other wounds.

He sat there criss cross on the floor and watched her as she worked in the fire light. This was one of the reasons he kept her. Not only was this the only time she ever put on her real face, a serious at that but all the same it was better then the usual face. He watched how the patch between her eyebrows crinkled while she though and her lips moving as she mumbled medical garble to herself.

As he watched he remembered the first time she didn't even asked to do it. It's like a whole different side of her showed when it came to healing. He never did care to his wounds and the first time he came back with injuries he wasn't expecting her to do anything, since she was still at the time terrified of him. But when she saw the injuries she forgot her fears and anger towards him and it changed to a serious mode and fixed him up without even asking for permission.

She actually ordered him to sit still and heal him. It had pissed him off at first when she gave him orders but now he had learned to go along with it.

In truth she was the best they've had at this place since he's been here. So good in Fact that he, even though it annoyed him considerably, he had to share her talent with the other members. He hated the smell of other men on her.

He watched memorized as her hands danced over his body cleaning scratches, covering wounds and applying ointment. She continued to mumbled under her breath about the wounds and what needed to be done but he had learned to block that out by now.

The last thing she did was wrap his ribs. She was so small she had to bend in close her face inches from his chest. He breathed in smelling her. Or more not smelling her.

His dragon senses could detect the slightest smells. And everyone had their own distinct smells. No matter where they go or how much they try to hide it underneath was a distinct smell that was there's. It was a gift and a curse. Great for tracking down targets, horrible in sweaty guild houses.

But she was strange. She didn't really have her own smell. Wherever she had been recently she smelled like it. He could tell she had been mostly working in the medical room due to the smell of disinfectant and other men scents. She never worked in the bar area so that was the only time they ever came near her now. He could tell she had been sneaking up her to read for she smelt of dusty papers like his room did. There was no underlying smell, he had wondered why he had had such difficult time tracing her that night long ago by smell. IT was easy enough by the racket she made but it felt strange not having a scent. It was one of the reasons she captivated him back then all those years ago.

He also noticed her body temperature was higher then normal and sweaty. She really was sick.

When she pulled away he was annoyed her face had already turned back to its usual fake smile one. She quickly cleaned up the first aid materials and came back and bowed. "There is food on the table when you are ready to eat. Do you acquire my services any longer?"

He stood up from the floor and thought about it. "No. But come back tonight to rekindle the fire. It's going to be a cold one and I don't want my fire dying out like last time."

He sat down and opened his dinner tray and she bowed. "Of course Master."

She slipped out of his room and to the kitchen where she set to work cleaning dishes. As she worked her thoughts went back to the book behind the curtain in his room, of that world inside it. It was one she had read multiple times and one of her favorites; The Count of Monte Cristo.

**TTTTTTTTTTT**

She wearily knocked on the door of Gajeels' room and waited for a response. She knocked again. Still nothing.  
Carefully she opened the door, he didn't like it if she opened it without him knowing but she decided he knew she was coming so he wouldn't be mad.

She entered the room and not seeing him went to the fire and put new wood on and brought it back to full flame. She felt the heat and smiled.

But her smile didn't last as she turned to look at his bedroom door. She was also required to rekindle the fire in his bed room.

She open the door slowly and peered in. In the fire light she saw Gajeel asleep on the top of his sheets still wearing his boots.  
She took a second to marvel at his sleeping face. He didn't look so dangerous when he wasn't glaring at her with those red eyes of his, she mused tiredly. It was still hard and tough but not cold.

She walked over to the fire and before getting there a wave of dizziness struck her and she swayed and tripped over a chunk of metal, he had a bad habit of leaving them around everywhere, and fell over landing on the chest at the foot of his bed with a quiet _oomph_.

But it was enough to wake Gajeel up. Before she new it she was being yanked and slammed against the bed and a blade held to her neck. She looked up and saw Gajeel breathing hard and his eyes wild and pure red.  
He wasn't awake yet.

"Master? it's levy, I came to rekindle the fire." His eyes started to readjust, getting darker. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sneak around. I hadn't wanted to wake you."

Finally she saw his eyes come into a dark black phase he released her his arm changing back to its normal non-blade self. She quickly moved off the bed.

"Didn't I tell you not to enter unannounced!" He yelled before sitting on the bed.

"I'm sorry, I hadn't wanted to wake you with your wounds, I wouldn't have disturbed you but I got clumsy and-" she took a few steps to the fire and her head swayed and she caught herself on the back of the chair in the room.

"Clumsy my ass." He mumbled rubbing his eyes with a hand.

"What did you say Master?"

He looked up at her, his eyes where groaning brighter as he was getting angry. "None if your damn business. tend the fire and sleep in the living room. I won't have you and you clumsiness waking up the whole god damn guild or you breaking your twig of a neck down the stairs. It would be damn annoying to find another slave."

"Master?" He never had her stay the night.

"Are you death too? Tend the fire and then go to sleep in the living room!"

"Yes master." She said quickly and tended the fire then exited the room quickly but before she turned back. "Thank you master. Goodnight."

He didn't say anything._ Why had she said that?_

She looked at the door out of his room then at the fire. She shook her head and walked over to the fire, grabbed the throw blanket from the chair, and made a nest near the fire. She was slightly scared to be near him in such a vulnerable way but she was so tired and a night in a warm room would do her cold well. She wasn't scared enough to give up that.

She put her back to the fire and faced his door, just in case.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Gajeel sat in his bed and listen to see if she would actually leave. When he didn't hear the door close he smiled slightly and fell back shaking his head. _That damn girl, when she got sick, which was rare in the first place, she always got it bad. __Probably would have passed out in the newly fallen snow on the way back to her to the servants quarters. He thought. Damn girl didn't know how to take care of herself._

It was fucking annoying.

He suddenly got up and opened the door of his bedroom. He looked out and at first didn't see her on the couch, he was sure the door hadn't opened and closed.

He took a few steps and that was then he saw the bundle of blankets on the floor. Why is she sleeping on the floor? He thought as he glanced over at the couch. He went over to sit down on the chair next to the sleeping girl. He slouched back in it and leaned on his elbow resting his chin in his hand.

He stared at the small girl curled up next to the fire. Her nose was tucked under the blanket but her could see her sleeping eyes under that mess of unruly blue hair. and the blanket rise and fall with her slow steady breaths.

She was a strange one and it captivated him in a way he didn't understand. She was different from all the other girls. Sooner or later they broke, or got broken. And yet she had managed to last this long. She was smart, she played by the rules and danced the line perfectly. He knew she was still a virgin and in this place he knew that is a hard thing to accomplish. She looked broken but he knew she wasn't. There was a fire under there that was only smoldering, waiting to be rekindled.

He knew he was partly due to that. He made sure that the other men knew that she was in and his alone. He'd beaten other men she didn't know about that had tried at her. He hated sharing.

He wanted her all to himself. He knew he could have had her any time he felt like it and she would be helpless to him. After a while he knew she would stop struggling, he would be able to break her spirit. But he never could. It was one of the things that made him interested in her. And it annoyed him as hell. There was no reason for his interests in her yet they where there and he hated them. He tried to snuff them out, he was Gajeel Redfox, he didn't have those weak sap emotions. Not in this world.

He had even tried to push those feelings down and have his ways with her but he could never go through. It wasn't fun. She always had a way of taking the fun and game out of it. She wouldn't struggle or fight, just bluntly spoke excuses that ruined the fun. It was like trying to arouse a body dead. He couldn't do it. He couldn't even smell any arousal out of her and that pissed him off more.

He had no effect on her.

He had women tons of times while she's been here to get the edge off but he still wanted her. Sometimes he'd take petty jobs to just get away for a bit and visit the red district area. At leads there the women reacted.

_How old was she now?_ Its been five, six winters he guessed. That would make her about eighteen, yet she looked closer to fifteen.  
Can't believe she's lasted this long. How much more can she take? He's never seen a slave last more then eight years, especially when they came in at her age.

She rustled the blankets in her sleep and he froze hoping she wouldn't wake up. After a few moments she quieted down and her breathing went back to normal.

He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. He got up and walked back to his room not giving the girl another look.

Levy opened up. _Did I hear a door?_ She looked up and saw Gajeels door closed and no one in the area. She shrugged and reached over to throw another log into the fire before falling asleep again.

* * *

**R&R!**

**I've been playing with this idea for a while and finally started writing it. A little to dark in someways for something I'd write but I just love it. I don't really want it to be Stockholm syndrome but I'll let you guys be the judge of whether it is or not.**

**Inspired by the other stories of Stockholm that are written so if things seem way to familiar I didn't mean it! Really and don't be afraid to call me on it, This is my own story and own ideas, somethings just always end up being the same cause it's the best way to write it! Once an idea is in your head it's hard to change it! **

**I hope you guys enjoy it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews and good reports! Finally got my Word bug fixed so I can use it again so grammar and etc. It should be better but let me know.**

* * *

"Good Morning Master. Breakfast is ready." She said actually cheerful. It had been a week since that first night she spent in his living room and every since then Gajeel has ordered her to remain every other night to keep the fire going.

She couldn't blame him for asking her though; the guild was in a strange cold snap for the early autumn. There was already a layer of snow on the ground and the windows in the servants' hall would collect frost art night.

But what she was actually cheerful about was that for the first time her cold hadn't lasted a month, it was nearly gone now and with the warm nights by the fire she felt like her old self. More then her old self in some ways.

Gajeel grumbled moving to sit down at the table and eat his food while levy moved next to the fire and sowed a patch in one of his shirts. He'd have to buy new ones sooner or later. It was the third time she'd fixed this particular shirt and it wasn't going to last much longer-

"You're humming."

"Huh?" She looked up surprised. "Sorry, I hadn't realized."

"Just keep it quite, it's damn annoying." He stood up and went to his room. She stitched the last corner of the patch and put the sowing kit away. By that time Gajeel had come back out, he was shirtless and his hair was damp from splashing water on his face. "I'll be gone again for a while."

"Of course Master." Levy said keeping her eyes down and handed him his shirt before going to retrieve his coat.

"Don't let this place get cold while I'm gone, I don't know when I'll be back so just stay here like you have been and keep the place warm. I ain't comin' home to a freezing bed because of your carelessness." He pulled his jacket on and grabbed his bag.

"Yes master. Safe travels." She bowed to hide her grin on her face. She could get use to sleeping in here. _Even if it meant being closer to him._

In reply he slammed the door shut behind him.

Levy put his dishes on the tray and hastily went over to the window so she could watch as Gajeel walked out of the gates. When he was gone from her sight she slipped down the stairs and to the kitchens.

* * *

"Well look who's out of her tower!" Came a snide comment followed by a distinct clock of a tongue.

"Good morning Ma'am." Levy said to the new head slave, Linda.

"Don't_ ma'am_ me girl." Levy new that but she couldn't help it, "Don't think that you're all high and mighty because you think you're getting special treatment. You're stuck here just like the rest of us."

"I know." Levy said looking down as she sat the tray next to the other piles of dirty dishes.

Linda clicked her tongue, "Don't talk back. Get those dishes cleaned, we have to make you work sometimes round here. We can't all have a cozy little office."

Her cozy little office she was referring to was the guilds infirmary. Or in better words a large broom closet with no windows, situated next to the guild. She tried to keep it clean but it was naturally a filthy place. Far from _cozy little office. _And the men that came in made it even worse.

The head slave watched her for a while as she did the dishes, as if trying to find a reason to yell at her.

Levy was use to this kind of treatment. Many of the girls didn't like her because she was treated differently. She tended to the needs of one man, even of it was Gajeel, and worked in the infirmary and kitchens instead of in the guild house.

And now that she got to sleep in a well-heated room and that didn't make anything better.

Levy didn't care what they thought though. It was survival of the fittest here. And Levy intended to survive. Cara had explained that rule after the first time she got caught and she was shocked no one tried to help her, even Cara.

But just because she didn't care what they _thought_ didn't mean she didn't care. If she had a way to help she could. And if she did have a way the next problem was doing it without seeming like she pitied them.

So she kept her mouth shut and took it. She didn't try to make friends, one of them would disappear sooner or later. SO in a way she welcomed the shunning of the other girls. It kept her detached.

After a while the head slave, after finding only to yell at Levy about the amount of soap she used, left to the Guild to leave Levy in peace.

She worked quickly, cleaning the rest of the dishes and putting them away before Linda could come back and find another job for her to do.

A tongue clicked behind her. "Girl! Where do you think you're is going?"

_Crap_.

* * *

It was chiming eight when Levy finally slipped back to Gajeel's room. She leaned on the door resting for a second before moving to put the kettle filled with water over the fire and went into Gajeel's room to make the bed.

She always wondered how he could make such a mess in twenty-four hours. More metal accumulated on the floor, after five years here she still hasn't figured out where he gets it, and also on the floor he had dirty clothes, and tracked dirt. His bed was also a disheveled mess.

She set to work at the mess until she heard the pitter-patter of rain began outside the window.

Levy smiled and walked over to the door, opening to find Juvia standing there looking depressed as usual.

Levy bowed. "Mistress Juvia. I'm sorry, Gajeel has just left."

"Don't title Juvia mistress, Juvia hates being called Mistress. And I came to see you."

"Sorry, Juvia, and Come in" she said smiling. Then went through that conversation every time. Levy knew she was telling the truth but she still did it. She didn't mind calling Juvia a mistress.

After all the years here Juvia was Levy's favorite person here. She was one of the only female Guild members, or any of the guild members, that actually acted normal, in a way. Cara had warmed her that she was always in a bad mood but that wasn't it.

Juvia sat in the chair with a sigh and Levy moved to the couch across from her.

Juvia sighed. "Juvia feels depressed."

It wasn't a bad mood. It was always in a sad mood.

Levy smiled, rolling her eyes, they've had this conversation a million times as well. "You need to smile more Juvia. Just like sunshine you need it to live."

Levy gave her a real smile, if Levy had to name one person here as a friend it would have been her. They were the same sort of. This was both their prison and only home. She was also different from the other slave girls. Somehow Levy couldn't seem to close her out.

"Juvia has no sunshine. Only ugly rain."

"Even so, the sun wouldn't be as beautiful with out the rain to make the world green."

Juvia sighed. "Levy is so nice, but Juvia doesn't deserve such a light."

Juvia was also the only person who called her Levy as well.

_So mellow dramatic._ "Levy thinks Juvia needs to experience a world other then this Guild." She said using Juvia's third person way of speaking.

"But this all Juvia has. And even if Juvia wanted to go she could not leave.

Levy nodded understating. Juvia was five when she came here, and before that she was an orphan on the streets. Jose found Juvia and Gajeel around the same time. When Levi came in Juvia was sixteen. For Juvia this was her only home, however un-homelike this place was. But even if she wanted to leave she couldn't.

She also belonged to Jose. And he would never allow her leave.

Levy walked over and patted Juvia's knee smiling. "Trust me. One day you will find someone who takes away your rain. And you'll now then what I mean."

Juvia nodded unbelieving and Levy heard the rain pore down heavier.

Levy thought of one way to cheer her up a little. "How about some of Levy's special tea?"

The girls eyes lit up and the rain card down a bit.

"The water should be hot enough, I'll make us a cup."

"Thank you!" Juvia said.

This girl, levy mused as she got up to make some tea. She is a good girl, in more ways a child then one of Jose's minions. Maybe that was why she liked Juvia, she was so innocent in many ways, despite how un innocent she was in other ways.

Levy ignore the dark part of her life, she knew Jose made her do a lot of bloody work like assassinations, and she'd probably have been beaten up as much as Gajeel if it wasn't for the fact she could make her body into water.

But when they where together they were just two girls. Not a slave, not an assassin. Just two girls having a cup of tea.

_This place takes away the best of all of us,_ levy thought._ I wonder it Gajeel would be different outside this hell. _She decided if he was any different she would have a heart attack.

She fixed the tea and poured it into two mugs, handing one to Juvia who sipped it smiling. "You make the best tea Levy."

Levy smiled taking her seat on the couch. "Old family secret. I don't get to make it often though because master Gajeel doesn't like tea. And thank you for buying the leaves and honey for it."

Juvia smiled. "Juvia likes it. She never gets tea here so she was happy to do it as long as Levy shared."

"It's my pleasure." Levy smiled laughing.

"Juvia always likes Levy's smile. No one smiles like you do around here."

Her smile faded slightly. "I don't. But when it's with you I don't feel afraid to smile."

"Juvia thinks Gajeel would like your smile too if you showed it more."

Levy sputtered on her tea. "Gajeel? I don't now why he would care. He probably find it annoying and yell at me for it."

"Juvia doesn't think that." She looked hurt that Levy didn't believe her.

"I know you mean well Juvia," she rubbed her bruised upper arm. "But he probably cares about me as much as he cares about, I don't know, rainbows."

"What is a Rainbow?"

Levy looked at her unbelieving. "You know, it's the colorful arch in the sky that appear after a rainstorm usually?"

Juvia shook her head her face telling Levy she was drawing a complete blank.

"Wait here." Levy ran into Gajeel's and grabbed a book of the shelf. She flipped to the page that showed a rainbow with a pot of gold at the bottom and handed it to Juvia. "It's caused by the light reflecting off the water droplets in the air."

"Juvia's never seen one." Juvia got depressed again and the rain fell harder. She pointed at the pot go gold. "Why is there gold here at the bottom?"

"Hmm? oh it's an old fairy tale. If you follow a rainbow to where it touches the earth, you will find true wealth. It's not specifically gold like everyone believes though. It's something that's very important to you. For example some say a lost family member, true love, a lost item or peace is at the end, but most associate wealth as gold so the pot of gold became the main symbol there."

Juvia stoked the page her eyes longing, "Seems lovely. Juvia wishes to see one."

Levy smiled. "You'll see one. One day."

"Juvia doesn't think so though, her rain never leaves."

Levy shook her head and touched the other girls' knee. "You'll see one, one day, and when you do look to where it ends and maybe you'll see your own pot of gold."

"Juvia will try." She said but she didn't seem hopeful.

Levy decided it was time for a new subject. "So was there a reason you wanted to see me?"

"Oh, yes!" Her eyes lit up slightly. "You promised to finish telling Juvia the story of the _Titanic_ the next time Gajeel-San left. Juvia has been dying to find out what will happen!"

Levy smiled and moved to the couch, she had though so. That was why she had started heating the tea in the first place.

"Well let's see..."

* * *

The clock struck 10:00 as Levy finished the story and Juvia jumped at it's sudden noise.

The water Mage wiped away the tears from her cheeks. _More like water grenades,_ she'd have to towel it up after she left.

"Ah Juvia must sadly leave, it is already late." They stood up and Juvia pulled Levy into a sudden hug. "Thank you, for telling Juvia about the rainbow and for the story, Juvia liked both very much."

"Can't. Breath." Levy gasped. Juvia was really strong.

She let go and levy grabbed the book that had had the rainbow in it and tore out the page with it on it.

She handed it to Juvia, "Here, that way you'll have this one until you find your real one." Juvia looked like she was about to cry again and levy laughed. "And I like telling stories to you. Just give me an idea on what you want to hear next and I'll pick a book."

Juvia nodded and walked out the door. "Good bye Levy."

"Goodbye Juvia."

She watched the Water Mage trotted down to her side of the building and levy heard the rain move with her. When the last echoes of her drops dispersed levy turned back to Gajeel's room and her life as a slave.

* * *

It was 15 days until Gajeel came back.

He had come in in the middle of the night and she had been asleep on the floor in front of the fire as usual.

The door swung open with a loud bang and she bolted up thinking a someone was breaking in to get her. When she recognized Gajeel standing in the doorway she stood up, slightly relieved.

"Welcome home Mas-" She looked up and her words caught in her throat when she noticed he was holding a large sack in his arms, one that was the shape of a body. He saw her staring at it and he dropped it on the couch

"tend to it." He said and sat in the chair closing his eyes.

Hesitantly she opened the top of the bag fearing the worse. A severed but up body was her guess.

But what she saw was clean blonde head of hair. She pulled the sac down and off the figure, getting a good look.

It was a blonde girl, probably around her age. She wore clothes that must have been nice but where dusty and torn at the moment. Her hands were bound in front of her and a gag on her mouth. She had a welt on her head and a few scratches here and there but nothing serious. She checked her pulse and found it beating normal, he just knocked out.

"Who-"

"She's part of the job."

She nodded; she knew he wasn't going to elaborate farther. And if she tried to get more out of him he'd yell at her.

Levy removed and the gag and adjusted the girl into a more comfortable position before turning to Gajeel.

"Are you hurt?" She asked moving over to him but he nocked her hands away and stood up heading out the door.

"I'm fine. Keep her here and out of trouble, and don't leave this room, either of you, or there will be hell to pay." He slammed the door and left Levy completely and utterly confused.

She turned back to the girl and went over to expect her injuries closer up. She wailed away a few of the bigger ones but none of them needed bandaging. When she leaned over her face and touched the welt on her head the girls' eyes fluttered open and when she saw Levy she bolted up.

"Wait!" Levy said grabbing her shoulders as the girl swayed dangerously. "Take it easy. You have a head wound and just woke up from being knocked out. You need to move slow for a while."

She sat the girl down and went and got her a cup of water from the pitcher. "Drink this."

The girl did and when she drained the glass looked up. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Phantom guild. My Master - Gajeel Redfox - brought you back."

"Dammit, this isn't good." She tried to stand up but swayed. "Damn this head!" I'll kill that farther of mine!"

"Please keep quiet."

"I'll be as loud as I want, I'm getting out of here." She reached to her side and panicked. "Shit, where are my keys?!"

Levy looked at her confused. "Keys? You didn't have any on you when you came in."

"Now how am I supposed to escape? Hey, can you untie me?"

She hesitated. "It will be safer probably of I didn't. If he found out I did I wouldn't now how he'd react?"

"Who?"

"Master Gajeel Redfox, the one who brought you here?"

"You mean that bastard iron dragon slayer? Why would it matter-" Levy saw her eyes trail to her arm and Levy followed, his bruises where hardly fading. Levy brought her hand up to cover them slightly. "Did he do that to you?"

"It's nothing, it's more for my protect-"

"Are you a prisoner here?"

"Well more of a slave-"

"I'll kill that man myself if Natsu and the others at Fairy Tail don't get him first! Oh, and I'll keep the ropes on then if it means he won't hurt you."

Levy didn't catch that last part already deep in thought._ Fairy Tail?_ The name rung a bell in her head. _Why does that-_

"wait is it run a Marcoff?"

"You mean Makarov? Yeah he's the Guilds master. You know him?"

_That's the name!_ Levy grew excited. "My father! He told me about him! When I was trying to - he said I needed to-" she grabbed at her chest but nothing was there. She hadn't thought of her necklace in years. She had lost it that night five years ago and had asked others if they'd seen it but none could tell her. She finally gave up hoping that it was lost and no one had it.

"To what?" The blonde girl asked.

"Ah," she cleared her throat. "I was suppose to go to him, but I got captured instead."

The other girl studied her for a moment then smiled giving her a wink. "Well when we get out of this hell hole you are officially invited to join the guild!"

Levy looked at the girl shocked. "Wha-"

"My guild, they'll be coming for me and when they do I'll take you with me." The girl stood up and walked over to the window opening the curtain and Levy hurried after pulling them shut again.

"It's not safe, if Gajeel or Jose saw you, we'd be in trouble."

"I'm not afraid of him." She said and Levy could only marvel at this girl. It seemed like a lifetime since she'd seen someone with so much life, so much hope. She had someone how would come to rescue her, it had been something Levy had always dreamed of. And the girl said they would take her too.

Something inside her came to life at the idea that finally she my have a way out. It has been years since she'd felt the need to escape, the hope that maybe this time she'd make it.

"You're guild would risk themselves to come after you?"

The girl smiled a bright toothy grin. "Of course! We would never leave any of our Nakama behind. Especially Natsu, he would never give up on me."

Nakama? Natsu? They were a family? This guild it was your own skin you took care of, other then Jose's. To be at a place where they'd risk their own lives for one of their own. Levy couldn't imagine it.

"You're name was Levy right?"

She nodded.

"Well I'm Lucy, Lucy Heartfillia."

Levy wanted to ask this girl a hundred questions but didn't get the chance for the door lock clicked and it opened with a bang.

Gajeel walked in his face hard, his eyes pure red.

The two girls froze as he strode forward and grabbed Lucy.

"Let go of me!" She yelled and kicked but he wasn't fazed only tossing her over his shoulder.

"Gajeel!" Levy didn't think, she grabbed at his arm and pulled. "Let her-"

She fell hard on the floor stars in her sight going white for a second. She lok up and saw Gajeels hand still out fro hitting her.

"Levy!" Called Lucy over his shoulder and kicked at him. and all she could do was lay frozen and watch.

Gajeel looked down at her. "Don't go anywhere."

His voice was cold and hard. But it also felt like a warning.

Without another word he marched out carrying the kicking and screaming girl with him.

She heard the lock click and the Muffled yells of Lucy as they descended the stairs. Levy rushed to the curtains and slipped around them so not to let any light out.

Outside in the late night, the grounds of the guild were alive with men moving and dancing with lit torches and fires. They were yelling orders she couldn't hear.

Rain splashed onto her window and she saw the blue figure of Juvia walking along with Gajeel who still had Lucy on his shoulder, but Lucy laid still, he must have nocked her out again.

As she watched them enter the guild she felt like she had lost her last chance.

_What was happening?_

* * *

Levy fell asleep somehow much later that night. She had been siting on the couch waiting for who knows what when her eyelids grew to heavy for her to hold opened and she fell asleep without even realizing it.

Gajeel opened the door to his room quietly looking for the girl. He leaned against the frame of the door his eyes coming to rest on the girl. She was lying on the couch, her arms draped out in front of her dangling slightly off the cushions, her knees tucked up slightly. He saw the red hand print on her cheek distinct against her white skin.

He fingered the bottle in his hand, he didn't have long, Jose expected him back before light.

But he needed to do this.

He walked over to her sleeping form and leaned over her, tilting her head back so her mouth parted slightly.

Just then Levy's eyes blinked open then went wide. She screamed at the sight in front of her.

It was the first time she had ever screamed out in terror.

* * *

**Gajeel! What are you doing! 0.0**

**you'll find out next chapter... R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

Gajeel held her down as she started to struggle and as he did she went suddenly quiet. She didn't try talking her way out of it. The room fell quiet, the only noise the crackling of the dyeing fire along with her small grunts and panicked struggles against the couch.

Her hands dug into the front of his shirt and try to push him back he didn't budge. Her legs kicked out at him and before she could get a good shot at him or hit the bottle he moved to sit on her legs.

Once she was under his control he took a drink from the bottle then bent down pressing his lips against hers. He felt her resists but he didn't relent. As he forced her lips apart against his he moved the thick, red, liquid from his mouth to hers. A small amount trickled down her jaw as she tried to cough it up but he moved back and held her jaw shut covering her nose as well.

She was going to drink it.

She dug her nails into his neck and wrists to try and get him to let up but he changed his skin to iron scales making her attempts useless. When he finally saw her swallow he filled his mouth again and repeated the process three other times. Forcing her jaw open with his hand, pressing his lips to hers, and forcing more of the liquid down her throat. The overflow running down her cheeks in red rivers.

When she finally swallowed the last of it and he pulled back tossing the empty bottle away but kept a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming out again.

He didn't want to draw attention.

His hand now free of the bottle he was able to capture her small ones still digging at his iron scales and pin them over her head. He had to lean in close to her in order to do this and it brought their faces inches apart.

Her body struggled a second longer then stopped. The only part now that moved was her chest rising and falling quickly from the loss of breath between him nearly gagging her from the drink and keeping a solid hand over her mouth. The hot air breathing from her nose hit his hand with every fall of her chest.

It was then he noticed the tears.

They ran down her cheeks silently as her eyes looked up at him. And if there was an emotion that expressed pure hatred, fear and emptiness at the same time then that was what was present in her eyes.

Her stone cold eyes looked at him over running with silent tears, and her dilated pupils with the fear of a prey, but also with a deep hatred. The sharp shadows caused by the dying fire esentuated them making the despise for him far more prominent. The fire also highlighted the tears as well so it looked like white scars running down from her eyes mixing with the red stains from her lips.

He could look over the hatred and the tears; it was the cold eyes that got struck him. And that's what they where; Stone, lifeless, the small flicker of light that he had always seen there before was gone. Her hatred was hallow, just there, no heat or passion under it.

As her eyes stayed locked on his he held his face cold and unemotional not giving her anything.

Red liquid dripped from his jaw and splashed her cheek but she didn't react.

_Hurry the fuck up!_ He thought and finally he saw her eyes struggle to stay open then finally closing and felt her body go slack under him.

Fucking finally. He thought and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He rested his head in her neck as he caught his breath and closed his eyes, his hand still holding hers pinned and the other on her jaw. What the fuck is he doing?

He shook his head, he wasn't about to have second thoughts. _She'd never really know, and now that's she's out I can finally-_

"Gajeel-kun!"

He looked up and saw Juvia standing in the doorway; he hadn't heard her open it.

_Shit._

"What did you do to Levy?" She said bringing her hands to her mouth. It had been more years than he'd care to count since he's seen such a face on her.

"Juvia-" He didn't get a chance to say anything more for a blast of solid water hit him causing him to fly back off the couch and into the wall.

"I here Levy scream and come too see. And now she is, she is dead!" She shot another at him before he could get up but he dodged it rolling to the side.

"Why the hell do you care!"? He looked up at the water Mage. Her shoulders where producing steam.

"She was Juvia's friend!" The Mage produced a whip and struck at him. "And you killed her!"

_Killed her? fuck_ "Juvia it's not-"

She slashed the whip at him and he dodged it transforming scales across his body.

"Juvia-"

"She was good to Juvia!"

"Will ya just shut it for a-"

"And Juvia let you hurt her and tease her because Juvia thought you would never-"

He put up a scaled arm to block the razor like water from slicing his neck off.

_Shit, it was hot water too_. He could feel the heat even through his armor "Juvia!"

"Gajeel you-you're just like Jose!" water slammed him into the metal door of his room, his body dented it and if it had been wood he'd have probably gone through it.

That last comment did it.

"She's not dead!" He shouted and when he looked at he found himself staring at the tip of a spear of water stopped in front if his face, he hadn't seen that coming, _This girl is crazy_.

"What did you say?"

"She ain't dead." The water disappeared and Gajeel leaned his head against the door closing his eyes and resting his forearms on his knees. "She ain't fucking dead."

"She screamed though-"

"Why the hell she screamed beats me! I hadn't done nothing yet." He tried to laugh but instead groaned; that crazy water mage could pack a punch. There was a reason he didn't enjoy sparring with her sometimes.

"But the blood-"

"It ain't blood," he wiped his face of the thick red liquid. "Well it is, but not ours, it's Koma Snake blood."

"You drugged her before you..." Juvia trailed off her eyes going wide.

Gajeel laughed through gritted teeth. "If I had wanted to fuck her I'd make sure she was awake. I'd want to hear her scream then."

Juvia didn't like that answer he could tell; her body was boiling. "Then why did you drug Levy with a powerful sleeping drug?"

_Crap, why didn't I lock the fucking door?_

"I drugged her so she wouldn't run away." He mumbled.

"Run away? Juvia is confused."

This was damn annoying, he hadn't wanted to explain his actions. His plan had been if anyone had caught him he would just killed them. But then Juvia was different, no matter how much he wanted to kill her at the moment.

"Fuck." He let out a low growl. "You know that with the shit Jose's got us into this place is going to be raining havoc in the next twenty four hours. Even when we win this place is going to get half blown apart."

"Juvia knows this."

He really didn't want to explain this. Even he couldn't fully understand why the hell he was doing it. So far all he could figure out was that it's been one hell of a pain in the neck.

"I didn't want my property damaged again because he got to fucking greedy." He finally said. He looked away from Juvia angrily and rubbed his shoulder, she almost dislocated it.

There was a long pause while she thought. "So why did Gajeel-kun drug her?"

"For my own god damn reasons."

"Gajeel." He could practically hear the hot water hissing in her voice.

_Fuck was she going to make me explain everything?_ "So she wouldn't run away before I had a chance to get her back."

"Why not tie her up?"

He was loosing his patience. "Because those fucking fairies are out for my head in particular That's why! And if they did manage to get me I didn't want to bloody tie her to a tree and leave her to fucking die! This way she wont even now she left this room."

"Gajeel- Why?"

That caught him a moment. then finally the only valid thing he could think of came out of his mouth.

"Fuck, She's the only good thing I have."

There was a long silence and Gajeel cursed himself a million times over in his head. As he said this out loud it was probably the most crack headed thing he's done. And the most pansy one as well.

What was he turning into? _Why the fuck am I doing this? __the damn girl's__ more trouble then she is worth. Hell he knew she hated him, probably more then she hated Jose, if she even had the chance she would-_

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the door click close.

He looked up and saw Juvia's form gone. _What the hell?_

He sat there a moment longer to she if she'd come back and when she didn't he got up.

He opened the door to his room and before entering leaned against the frame shutting his eyes for a moment. Why the hell did he feel like he was the one that was drugged?

He pushed off the frame and grabbed the thick fur blanket from his bed.

Moving back to the girl he tightly wrapped it around her and lifted her sleeping limp body into his arms.

He moved down the hallway and glanced across to Juvia's quarters, before descending the stairs, but heard and saw nothing.

At the back exit he paused briefly as two men walked past then slipped out and over the nearby wall silently before jogging into the night forest with his cargo.

He traveled an hour before finally reaching the river that still ran strong, still unaffected by the cold weather. He walked over to one of the larger trees where the roots stuck out high above the ground and carefully placed the girl in between one of their wide gaps.

_You're gonna have one hell of a head ache when you wake up_. He thought as he rested her on the ground and as he did her arm slipped out of the blanket and fell limp to the ground. He lifted it up and was about to tuck it back in when he stopped and stared at her small hand. Its skin was think and coarse from the labor she had done and was dry from the weather. But it was still small.

_It beats the hell out of what might happen if you stayed._

Doing it before he could change his mind he took the ring off his finger and slipped it onto one of hers. It was too big for her but he morphed the iron so the it sat snug on her finger.

That done, he fixed the blanket so it covered every inch of her body including her face and stepped back, satisfied that the shadows of the huge oak and the dark fur of the blanket made it so you couldn't tell she was there. He was already loosing her smell as it took on the smell of the forest air and the must of the fur blanket. No one would be able to find her, even if they were looking.

He turned away and ran back to the guild.

He'd be back.

.

.

* * *

**Muahaha I bet you all thought! -**

**v PLEASE READ THIS! v**

**I sort of had ideas and certain scenes written out and now I'm putting it into a fledged story and this was a part I hadn't written yet so It's kind of not where I was going but it just turned out like it. Not really the Stockholm Syndrome story I was thinking of but there still will be some in there of course-**

**But I do like to play with the idea that Gajeel in some weird way is the one with Stockholm syndrome and Levy is sort of his captor (Sort of the unrequited and thinking that even though they don't love them they should be with them, which I thinks categorized under stockholm). But I can be completely off, I'm not a genius in the field or anything, just a girl with a lot of feels and ideas.**

**Once again judge for yourself.**

**You can hate me all you want but I'm loving this and hope you enjoy it too! There's a lot to come! (angst, drama, humor, yada yada)**

**Let me now what you think!**

**R&R!**

**Thank you for all the reviews and comments! I just get such a goofy grin it's annoying.**

**The next chapter tomorrow evening! (it's already done but I'm evil.)**


	5. Chapter 5

Levy had been dreaming.

It was the first time she'd dreamt in eight years.

She dreamt of being under a huge blue sky, not a cloud in it, the sun shinning brightly and the moon was also there, just as big and shining white.

And all around her was a sea of gold.

It wasn't real gold but hugs rolling hills of wheat, like the one that where planted near her childhood home. The winds danced around in it moving the grains like a giant sea with gentle rolling waves.

She ran through the never-ending ocean and she felt lightless, like a heavy load she'd been carrying for years had finally been lifted of her. She felt that in that moment she could have flown but only ran, bubble with laughter.

She also dreamt of fairies.

In the distant she could see them. Their smiling faces and blinding white wings running and dancing in the grains like she was. She couldn't recognize them, but as she watched them they stopped and looked towards her smiling and waving their arms for her to join them. At the sight a wave of happiness flowed over her, one she hadn't felt in a lifetime. It felt secure, safe, peaceful; a feeling of family. And Levy ached for it.

She was about to run to them when she stopped and something made her looked back; like a little kids would do, looking back at their mother to see if it was alright to run off and play with the others.

But in that case a mother would nod and something would pass between them silently, the mother trusting the son to be safe and come back, the boy asking if she trusted this in him.

But she wasn't turning back to a kind mother. She was turning back to a devil.

One that she knew didn't want to let her go.

A cold dark form stood in the distance silently. And suddenly from it came a shadow that spread towards her across the plains. She watched as where the shadow touched the grains of gold shriveled and turned to dust.

It was coming for her to bring her back.

She turned and ran, trying to beat the shadow. She felt that if she went back that was it, there was no escaping, the only thing waiting for her back there was a fate worse then death.

She ran towards the fairies who where still playing and dancing, unaware of the dark, deadly shadow that was chasing her.

If she could reach them then maybe she would be safe.

The shadow caught up to her and she looked down at her feet and saw ash flying around them as she disturbed where it laid.

She looked up and saw the whole plane had been swallowed by the shadow. The sky turned gray, not cloudy, just gray, dead. The suns and moon were darkened into a blood red shade, but they gave off no light though, the world around her stayed gray.

_I just have to reach them-_

But no matter how much she ran they never seemed to get closer. Her legs turned to lead and she struggled to move forward.

_Don't go! Please don't leave me behind! Save me!_

She fell over her numb legs and hit the ground hard filling her lungs with ash. Her eyes stung with it as well.

_Don't go-!_

But when she looked up they had disappeared.

She turned onto her back and found the black figure looming behind her, The moon and sun had moved to stand at either of its shoulders. Shining red but gave no light.

Her body grew cold; its shadow seemed solid, pressing down on her making it hard to breath, suffocating her. It crept over her body like mist draining the warmth and peace in her body and refilling it with fear and emptiness. It seeped inside her, finding her way to her heart, and wrapping around it like a snake around it's prey; squeezing slowly, as if enjoying its time.

The the solid dark figure moved down on her and as it did the snake around her heath tightened.

She screamed.

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open, _it was a dream, _she thought hazily, her mind still not fully awake. She opened her eyes wider, _thank god is was only a-_

She screamed like she had in her dream.

It was there in front of her, the dark figure that had come or her in her dreams. The sun and moon had become it's eyes and as it loomed over her. The shock of it suddenly there and her mind still shaken from the nightmare the scream had just slipped through her lips.

She felt the fear and feeling of suffocation grow back inside her and she lashed out unthinking, only trying to get away from it.

But the shadow pinned her down and the suffocation overcame her, cutting off the scream. It made it impossible to scream, and even more to speak.

She struggled blindly and dug her nails at it hoping to escape. She had to escape, it would kill her.

It was when she felt something press against her lips that her mind sparked and she put a face and name with the dark form.

_Gajeel._

It was him. He was her shadowed figure. The one who made her body cold, the shadow that suffocated her of life, the snake around her heart that slowly but surely was killing it.

His lips forced her mouth open and suddenly she choked as a warm sickly sweet tasting liquid filled her mouth and she coughed trying to get it out of her mouth but he held her mouth and nose closed. She struggled to find air, she scratched at his skin digging into it trying to get his hand to move until it turned hard, but she still tried.

Left with no over option, she swallowed and was only aloud a small gasp of air before having to bare it again. It stung her throat making her eyes water.

He was drowning her! She couldn't breath. And with each drink he forced down her throat she felt herself falling farther into darkness. Dying.

She prayed it did kill her, if it meant escaping this.

She continued to fight until her hands where pinned down and with that last struggle of freedom taken from her she stopped.

As her struggles stopped it felt like the snake gave it's finally squeeze before relenting. But the damage was done, like a mouse with it's bones shattered, she would never fight or try to escape again, only wait for him to end it, not even enough strength to pray it will be over soon.

She was tired. So tired from it all.

This was the last line, she head had a taste of freedom, even if it was a small and feeble on at that but it had been more then her heart could take. She was tired of this hell she was in.

It all came down on her then, all the times the men touched and teased her, hurt her. The freezing nights, the poor food. The night she was captured, the night she was marked.

She thought she could survive, she thought if she pushed through and played the game she would eventually win.

But she forfeited.

And he had been the one that made her.

She loathed him at this moment. More then her whole time here all together. She had never hated him until this very moment, truly hated him. She had in a part of her way down, now not even there, that he had had a heart unlike the other men, that maybe he was different, a part of him that told her maybe there was good in him.

But now she didn't. He was different from the other men alright. It was his fault for her life the way it is, that she wasted to die now, welcomed it.

It was his fault the moment he spotted her outside the window that fateful.

And as she stared into the eyes of her snake she hoped it could see that it was he who had done this to her. The one that took out her light.

She felt shadows begin to dig their nails into his eyes and she closed them welcoming the peaceful darkness.

* * *

.

.

.

A dull light came up around her, penetrating her darkness.

She squirmed away from it not wanting it. Not wanting to see it, but it was only growing brighter behind the black veil that kept its full rays at bay. It wouldn't let her hide.

Then she heard a sound coming from behind the veil. faint words.

_...Come on..._

_...I got..._

_...Wake..._

_... You need..._

_...Levy!_

Her eyes flew open as the voice shouted her name and she gasped taking in a lung full of sharp cold air. Something moved around her and she felt the sensation of being lifted up. The light stung her sensitive eyes and made them water, blurring her vision more then it already was.

"Thank God you're alive, thought I lost ya there." Came a male voice.

She looked from where the voice sounded above her and through her bad vision could make out he had black hair and red...

_Gajeel!_

She struggled, she wanted to die! Not come back to him.

"Hey there! It's all right I'm not, geeze -Lucy! Get over here quick she's freaking out!"

_Lucy? _The name struck a cord in her memory and she stopped her attempts of escape slightly to look at the face again and it stared to grow into focus.

The black hair became a short crop of messy black hair, not his long mane, and the red she thought was his eyes turned into blood spots on a white bandage wrapped low on his brow. The rest of the face also came into focus and she found a pair of black eyes looking down at her, his face serious but not hard.

_It wasn't him, it wasn't Gajeel._

When she stopped the last of her struggles the face grinned down at her, "Thanks, nice to finally meet you Levy."

_How did he know my name?_

"I'm-"

"Gray!" Came a shout cutting him off. "Is that her is she alright?"

Levy turned away from his face finding it hard to move and peaked over a fur blanket she found to be wrapped in. She saw a blonde familiar girl running up to her followed by another boy with bright pink hair.

_Lucy! _Levy thought, she felt she would cry at the feeling that grew inside her at the sight of the girl.

The blonde girl came up and rested a hand on her forehead, smiling wide as their eyes locked. "You're one tough girl to find Levy."

She looked behind her, "Master you were right, we found her!"

Levy peered around the blonde girl and saw a small old man and a girl with red hair walking up.

"Welcome back Levy, we've been looking for you." He said as he came up, smiling softly. "I think it's time to bring you home."

She stared at the man, still unbelieving and unsure what to think.

It was too much.

She fainted.

* * *

_**If she only knew...**_

**I was really unsure wether or not I should do this on or the Gajeel chapter first but I decided on this one second.**

**And now it's time for me to be evil again... ****I'm off to art camp for two weeks so I won't be ale to post the next chapter until it's over (Not really any internet access :/ )****I hope you guys will wait for me!**

**All I can say to you is this: _How is Gajeel going to fix this mess..._**

**Thanks for reading :) R&R if you'd like**

**Hasta La Vista!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! sorry for taking forever! **

**This is a Levy chapter, all her except then very very end, it set things up and what not.**

**Gajeel come in in the next chapter!**

**For some reason I;m much better writing about him then Levy, but aw well.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Levy opened her eyes suddenly from her sleep, with an urgent feeling in her stomach. She sat up in the dark room and a moment of fear washed over her, _the fires out, Gajeel will be mad if he-_

She began to move then stopped when she realized that she was lying in a soft bed, not on the carpet in front of the fire. She froze, unsure of what was happening, the new surroundings not settling well in her stomach. _Is this a dream? This doesn't look like anywhere in Phantom lord._

That was when she remembered the forest vaguely, Lucy and a boy with pink hair and one holding her with short-cropped hair. _If that had happened then I must be at Fairy Tail-_

"You're dead you stupid fire ball!" / "Keep talking icicle brains!"

"Will you two boys shut it for once in you life!"

"IT"S HIS FAULT!" "IT"S HIS FAULT!"

The door banged opened and two blood and black covered figures tumbled in on a pile on the floor on top each other. The one under shoved the other and yelled and the other tackled back saying it was his bloody fault. Another giant man walked in yelling something about manliness and tried to pull the two apart but ended up getting a fist in the face ticking him off and joining the tussle.

Levy watched from her sitting position in her bed, still unnoticed by the ones causing the commotion, unsure what to do or how to react. She just stared wide-eyed as they broke one of the beds in the room. Where they hell did I end up?

"Don't make me break you boys up." Came an icy cold voice that stopped the three mid swing. They all turned there eyes to a White haired girl in the door way. Her hands on her hips and her eyes glowing red.

The Giant dropped the boys and looked at the floor while the two boys glared at each other their arms crossed, still intent at being pissed off at one another.

"Sorry Mira." They said in unison.

The girl called Mira smiled brightly and her eyes went to a normal brown. "Good now sit and behave like good boy while I go get you some bandages. Next time try not to get in a fight in the kitchen!"

"Natsu sit still?" one of the boys laughed as she left. "That will be the day."

_Natsu? _As she looked she recognized the bright pink hair, at the moment dulled by a coating of what looked like oil.

"I can keep still longer then you can keep bloody closes on at least." He remarked back as he took a seat on a bed.

She looked at the other boy and blushed horribly, he hadn't had a shirt on in the first place but now, somehow, his pants had gone missing.

"Hell!" He said looking around on the ground.

That set the others roaring and Levy chuckled a second before catching herself with her hand. But it was enough for all of them to stop and look at blank faced; surprised for a second that someone else was in the room. Then the one with pink hair grinned showing some very sharp k-nine teeth and letting a triple of blood fall from his lips. "Well mystery Girl is finally awake! Oi! Mira! That blue haired girls awake!"

"It's not very manly to call unacquainted girls names." Said the Giant man.

"But I don't know it!"

"Yes you do you idiotic dragon, it's Levy!" Shouted the other boy who was holding back a bloody nose.

"Well I only heard it once! How was I supposed to know?"

"You could use your head once in a while for things other then smashing in other people faces." He pointed to his nose

"I'll smash more then your nose you snowman!"

_Uh? _She watched as Natsu jumped at the other boy his hands now aflame. The other blew a blast of icy air at the boy and they where at it all over again. _How did it end up like this? I didn't mean them to fight!_

"Natsu! Grey! Sit down or I will personally make you lives a living hell for a month! And you know I can!" Mira had walked in again with a bundle of bandages. The two didn't stop though and she gave a tut and sat the items in her arms down before walking calmly over to them and grabbing each by the ear with a scary speed. They yelled out and she sat them back on their separate beds like a mother giving her kids a time out. They both yelled, blaming the other but she gave them that glare again and they shut up. She looked at the other one. "Try and keep them a little under control next time brother."

_Their siblings? _She didn't get the chance to inquire farther because the girl turned to Levy giving a bright smile. "Sorry you had to see that Levy, not the best way for you to get your first impression of fairy tail, I'm Mirajane, and those three idiots you met are Natsu, Grey, and Elfman. You can call me Mira."

"Um," She was at a lost of what to say, still not quite sure what is happening.

"Oh! You probably have lots a questions but we'll get to that, I'm sure there is someone you'd like to see I bet" She turned to look at the door, "She was right behind me a moment ago..."

Just as she spoke a tall busty girl with long wavy brown hair entered it's mouth and leaned against the door crossing her arms. She smiled and nodded. "Hey girl."

"Cara?" She whispered, finding it hard to talk as the realization of who it was dawned on her

The girl smiled and strolled over. "The one and only."

A blond head popped into the door, Levy recognized her as well. "Lucy!"

She smiled. "Welcome to Fairy Tail! I see you met Natsu and Grey." Shooting them a look that could kill but they ignored it.

Fairy tail? She had guessed it but it wasn't until Lucy had said it that it had sunk into her. Her eyesight blurred and she brought her hand to her eyes and wiped away tears surpassed slightly at the sight. Cara came over and sat in front of her in the bed and Levy leaned forward hugging the girl tightly. "I thought you where dead."

"I could say the same to you." She laughed and pulled back, levy saw her eyes where teary as well. "And yet here we both are."

"Reunions are very manly!" Boomed a voice that made her jump in surprise.

"Quite Elfman." Said Mira. "You probably already frightened her enough what with the entrance you three made. She needs quiet at the moment. You too Natsu and Grey, Go take a shower and then I'll get you guys patched up in the guild room."

Mira pushed the three complaining boys out of the room and closed the door behind them.

"I don't mind," levy said turning to Cana. "Everything just sort of surprised me is all."

"Even so it's better to leave the hectic in here to a minimum, one thing about Fairy Tail is that nothing around here is done in a calmly manner." She saw Levy's confused look and laughed giving a winked. "You'll see."

Levy smiled and leaned back in her bed, the adrenaline rush leaving her system weary. She looked up at the older brunette and smiled. "It's nice to see you again Cara."

"Actually it's-"

"Cana!" Mira said daring a tray of something hot with her "Is the girl hungry? She hasn't eaten in three days. And getting a Fairy Tail greeting like that could work up anyone appetite!"

"I say a little to much of one, I'd need a drink after that."

Lucy came over landing on the bed next to Levy laughing. "Cana has been taking care of you since you came in. And of course the moment she leaves those three show up. Typical."

"Cana?" Levy said confused glancing up at her.

Cara chuckled. "That's my real name Lev, Cana Alberona, I used a different name in Phantom Lord. Sorry if it confuses you, it was safer for both of us if you didn't know. Feel free to call me Cara if it's to much."

Levy shook her head. "No! Cana is fine, I like it. It just confused me is all."

Mira laughed and brought Levy the tray, some sort of soup. "You're right Cana, she is a cute one. Can we keep her?"

"She's not some dog!"

"I know I know" she looked at levy tapped a finger on her cheek. "More of a kitty maybe?"

"Mira-"

Levy blushed and to busy her self took a sip of the soup. It was delicious! She took another spoon full not realizing how hungry she had been. Swallowing she looked up. "Where am I actually?"

Lucy answered, who had taken a spot on the foot of the bed. "In the infirmary at the Fairy Tail guild in Magnolia."

_Magnolia..._She couldn't remember where that was to Phantom Lords guild "Uh, can I ask you guys something?"

"Anything dearie." Mira said.

"Well, what happened? How did you find me?" She thought about the forest she had woken up in. "_Where_ did you find me?"

The girls glanced at each other and levy got slightly nervous. Canna turned to her, "levy? What do you remember?"

"Well, Lucy showed up, and then Gajeel took her away-" the memories of the dream came into her mind and she shivered. "I fell asleep..." Then she remembered what Gajeel had done. She brought a hand to her throat and rubbed it, the memory of sweet taste making her gag and ruin her appetite. Her body shivered at the memory. _She had been so scared!_

He had attacked her, like he had never done before, and he drugged her! She hasn't realized it then but know clearly thinking she recognized the taste of the Koma Snake Blood, she had a vile of it in the medical room. _What had he done? Why had he done it?_

She didn't really know what or why, but what she was slightly scared of more wasn't what he might have done -

What scared her the most was what she had done.

She had given up.

"Levy!" She looked up and found a blurry Cara- Cana - looking at her worriedly. In her thoughts Levy had spaced out and tears moved down her cheeks, she'd been crying, her body shook slightly as well causing Mira to move the bowl of soup to the bedside table.

"I- I- don't remember." Levy lied, she wouldn't tell them anything about what Gajeel had done, both because she didn't know and she was ashamed of what she had done.

"Shh, its okay." Cana brushed her hair. "You don't have to worry about it."

She wiped her tears willing herself to calm down. "So way happened?" She looked at Lucy, "did Natsu come?"

She smiled brightly. "He sure did! He and everyone else in Fairy Tail!"

_Everyone?_

"Fairy Tail has had a bit of a past with Phantom Lord, and that was the final straw." Cana said.

"What happened?"

"We won of course." She said proudly, "Phantom lord is nothing more then a few crumbled buildings."

Levy looked at the girl shocked. _Phantom Lord, is gone?_

"And what about me? How did I end up in a forest?"

"We didn't have a clue at first." Lucy said. "We looked all over for you, we thought you had run off with the other slaves."

"Then how did you know to look for me?"

Before any of the girls could reply a new voice spoke up. "That would be my doing."

Levy looked over at the door to see a short old man standing in its entrance. _That's Makarov right? _Trying to remember the moment in the forest.

"Well, actually it's her doing."

_Her?_

Makarov motioned to someone standing behind the wall, slowly a girl stepped forward, her eyes down casted.

"Levy, this is Master Makarov." Mirajane said. "And you know-"

"Juvia!" Levy said her heart kept. The girl in name looked up, obviously surprised in Levy's sudden warm greeting.

Makarov chuckled. "Glad to see you awake my girl." He jumped up and sat crisscross on footboard of the bed near Lucy, and Juvia following behind hesitantly. Levy tore her eyes away from the water Mage and looked at Makarov. "Juvia found you unconscious in Gajeel's room. Knowing of the danger about to happen she hid you in the forest."

"Juvia-" tears welling up for a different reason. She wiped them away hastily. Why was she crying so much? She never cried! "You did?"

The girl hesitated then nodded. "Juvia, forgot where she hid you though... She is very sorry for that."

"That's why it took us a while to find you-" Lucy added.

"Juvia is also sorry for never acting sooner. That I did nothing, but Juvia hoped-" levy saw the water mages body ripple and her eyes water, she knew that she was about to cry. "Will Levy ever forgive Juvia? Levy was Juvia's only friend, and she doesn't wan to loose her."

"Of course I'm not mad at you!" Levy said. "How can I be, you were the only on every nice to me all those years! Besides Cana, and you saved me!"

The water Mage lost it, she jumped other the end of the bed and tackling Levy into the bed in a giant hug. "Levy is to kind to Juvia!"

"Choking-" she gasped and Juvia stood up wiping tears.

Levy breathed and smiled. "You seem a lot happier Juvia." Then she noticed it. "And its not raining!"

This time Juvia turned a fine shade of red.

Lucy answered. "She met a certain Ice Mage."

"Known as Grey Fullbuster." Chimed Mira, taking a swipe go a bottle. _How did that get there?_

Levy's eyes widened and Juvia, if possible, blushes a deeper red.

"He made my rain go away." She whispered quietly and Levy beamed.

There was a small cough and the four girls looked at Master Makarov. "Hate to interrupt the boy talk but Levy and I have things to discuss." Levy nodded calming down and he continued. "Know, Levy McGarden, as you may know, your father and I where old friends. Your parents being quite the mages in this very guild back in their time."

"They were mages in this Guild?"

"Of course, I would have assumed you know that?"

"I knew they where mages, but I didn't knew they had been in a guild." She knew her parents where mages but she hadn't known they'd been in a guild! No wonder he wanted her to some here.

"I see, "He cleared his throat. "Well, anyways, he held something of some importance to this guild but as you mentioned it was lost. Is this correct?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I lost it one night in the guild a few years back, I never saw it again, I asked a few of the girls but they hadn't seen it either, or if they had never told me. It could have gotten thrown away, it didn't look very expensive. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter, if I haven't heard of since then it's power hadn't been discovered, as for being thrown away it is safer for it to be in a pile of garbage the in the hands of one who could use it." He shook his head. "But what is done is done. In any case, in case of his death he left you a large some of money under my name to give to you. That money still exists. I've set you up with some accommodations at Fairy Hill, where's many of my female mages stay. You may live there as long as you desire, your rent paid for during your recovery until you can find your own." She felt those damn tear forming in her eyes again. "Thus I come to a question for you."

She looked up at him, unable to speak. What could she say? He chuckled softly. "Seeing as you have already many friends here, and I've heard of your magic ability like you parents; I was wondering if you would like to join Fairy Tail?"

Levy looked up at the small man unbelieving. She had given up; she had thought her life was over. That Phantom Lord was where she was going to die. And yet here she was; after nearly five years of hell, now surrounded by people who cared about her, a family that wanted to look out for her.

A life.

She couldn't believe it. What he was asking was more then she could ever dream of. It was an impossibly wish she had given up on. And yet here it was, laying in front of her for her to take.

She brought her hands to her mouth, tears now streaming down her face uncontrollably.

"Well?" Said Lucy beaming at her excitedly.

"Juvia has joined!" Spoke up Juvia pulling up her dress to point at her tattoo.

"I as well." said Cana showing hers. She glanced at Juvia, "what do ya say Lev? Lets be a Nakama."

"Yes!" She choked on a laugh nodding vigorously. "A thousand times Yes!"

Lucy squealed and hugged her, Juvia and Cana joining in.

Mira laughed and Makarov clapped his hands. "It's settled then. Welcome to your new family Levy McGarden!"

My new family, Nakama. She laughed happily at the thought.

"Now, it's time our new member got a bit of rest. She's been through a bit and still hast fully recovered." Mira said and Lucy groaned.

"I'm fine." she insisted but a yawn betrayed her.

"I'm sure you are, but you'll be great with a bit more rest. Besides its already night, everyone else should be going home now too."

The girls stood up reluctantly and the bed suddenly felt very large.

"See ya tomorrow Levy!" Lucy said. "I'll be helping you move into Fairy Hill, you'll like the room we put you in."

Levy wanted to know more but Mira pushed the three girls out, each yelling goodbye, Cana have her signature wink and Levy winked back.

Levy tried to go to sleep, she really did, but she was completely awake. The infirmary was dark and she was the only occupant currently in the room. Her mind whirled around with thoughts and questions, her body restless as well.

Finally, seeing sleep was a far off thing, she slipped out of the bed and stood up. It was then that she noticed she only wore a plain white, cotton nightgown, pretty much just a really long t-shirt.

_I'm going to need to get new clothes. _She had only earned that one dress.

She looked around the dark room and found a long brown jacket left by a previous patient and slipped it over her gown as she walked to the door, pausing hesitantly her hand on the doorknob. Was she aloud to leave the room? She shook her head, they wouldn't care. This is my home; I'm allowed to go where I want, She reassured herself as she opened the door to a dim hallway.

She heard a small racket coming down it and a light shining through the door. _This is a guild, that must be the main hall._

She didn't really want to go somewhere crowded, especially since they were complete strangers. She looked around for a different escape and found her answer, down the other hallway at the end was a door with the word Exit on it. She slipped out, tugging at her coat in the cool night air. When her bare feet touched the ground she gasped, not realizing that she was bare foot. She wiggled her toes, the cold was bearable.

Levy looked around where she came out of; It opened up to a sort of back yard. The guild was on the edge of the town, so it's back yard met with the adjoining forest. It was slightly over grown but seemed like pleasant spot. While looking around she found a ladder poking out over a pile of tables leading up to the flat loft of the roof. _I've never seen Magnolia..._

She climbed up the wooden ladder and walked to the other edge of the over side of the roof a grin groaning on her face. It was very beautiful. She looked over the rooftops that stretched for a couple miles in each direction. The orange street lights giving off a dreamy look. She could see the river flowing throughout he center, the lights sparkling in it highlighted the few boats still on it. Then finally the bell towers face glowed white like a man made moon over the orange starlights of the city._ It's beautiful,_ she thought as she leaned on the rooftop wall resting her chin in her hand. As she did something cold touched her cheek.

"Hmm?" Levy looked and found on her finger metal band, how did that get there? She took it off and inspected it closely, it was absolutely plain, no marking of any kind, not even a crease where the metal would be bound together._ It's as if magic- _She only knew one Mage that could do that.

_Gajeel._

She dropped the ring on the roof and took a step back Levy remembered the cold feeling in her body. As she watched the rings spin a moment and then fall her body flashed back. The breaking of her will, the feeling of hopelessness.

_I had lost! I couldn't survive!_

She could still feel the cold inside her, that part of her cracked, and there would always be a scar. She had put hope in Lucy, and that dream, and waking up to Gajeel, she had snapped. She had allowed her self to give into that moment of hope, something she swore she would never do again. And when she had had that dream and woke up to Gajeel over her she had lost it. It was then that she knew she could never have escaped that place. Escaped him. That feeling of losing her hope again had been too much for her. She had broken, whatever happened after that she wouldn't have cared. She had only wished to die.

She was ashamed. She had let father down, herself down. She had become the other girls at the guild, broken. The one thing she had sworn never to do. She'd given up without even a fight in the end.

She looked up and stared at the ring. _Gajeel-_

What had he planned to do to her? Why did he drug her? If he had wanted to have her he could have overpowered her easily. If he wanted to kill her he wouldn't have drugged her before hand. There was no explanation for his action. A small voice from the back of her thoughts whispered. _Maybe it was for your own good. _She shook her head, _when has he ever done something that helped her._ It was his fault she was that she was taken to that place instead of killed that same night her father had, his fault that she had lost her hope, his fault she had live in that hell for five years.

She grew angry, she grabbed the ring and stood up and pulled her arm back to toss it as far as possible. But she froze not able to do it. She tried but when she was about to she lost her anger at him, she fell to her knees. _It's your fault! It's all your fault! _All those years, he'd beaten her, yelled at her, and pushed her to rebel; made her suffer both physically and mentally. She hated him and was scared of his angry red eyes, his hard appearance, and his cold touch.

"It's your fault." She whispered trying to tell herself this her, make her believe it, but as she gripped the ring in her hand and her thoughts cleared in her mind she couldn't bring her self to. Her body shook in anger, frustration. "Why can't it be your fault?"

She hated him, that was fact. And in all those years she had blames him for everything. But as her fingers curled tightly around the ring she knew deep inside her she couldn't blame him, no matter how much she wanted too. Now free she allowed the thoughts she had locked up inside her flow through, the emotions that had smothered let loose. It was her fault. She had stayed to watch her father killed and be found, hers that she always tried to escape, even against warning. Hers she was nearly raped that night. And hers again for allowing herself to hope. _It's always been your fault,_ the voice whispered. Wearily she stood up and leaned onto the roof top railing, she opened her hand and looked at the metal band in her palms. He may have done all this things, made a living hell or her, but she was the one who had put herself there.

She stood there, for who knows how long, her hands in front of her cupping the ring over the other side of the railing, staring at the ring almost mindlessly. A cart rolled up under her and a man started to collect the garbage sitting outside the guild. _All I have to do is let go and I'd never see it again... _She stood there frozen and the cart left with it's garbage, but the ring still layer innocently in her palms.

"Can't sleep?"

Levy looked around and saw Cana leaning on the doorway of the roof too entrance.

She smiled tiredly. "Yeah,"

The older girl nodded understanding and walked over to lean her back against the rail next to Levy. She looked up at the sky, which was clear and even with the lights of Magnolia the stars where still ablaze. "You now, I never get tired of these stars, for some reason you could never really see them at phantom lord."

"I never noticed." Levy said truthfully, she never really looked at the editing her time there. She always had her eyes locked on the ground.

Cana looked over at the girl and saw the glint of silver twirling in her fingers. "What do you have there?"

"Oh- It's ring it - I found it." Levy lied.

Cana snatched it from her and held it up. "What's it made out of?"

"Some sort of metal probably, but I don't know."

"It looks just a plain metal band to me. How do you know it's a ring?"

"I just do." Cana handed it back and she rolled it in her fingertips thoughtfully before closing her hand around it.

"Cana?"

"Yeah kiddo?"

"How did you escape?"

She smiled, "Trust me when I say this girl, you don't want to know what I had to do."

Though she said it gently Levy couldn't help but shake, she could think of a few things, and all involving things she didn't want to think about. Cana saw the look on the girls face. "But it was worth it. After I escaped I found a man I knew who could break the magic restraints of my wrists and I made my way to Fairy Tail."

She looked at Levy sadly, "I didn't know you had connection in Fairy Tail, I am sorry I left you in that place."

"I would have done the same thing." Levy said and she knew it was true, no matter how much she didn't want it to be. "In Phantom Lord it was only yourself you looked after."

"No here though." Cana said.

Levy smiled. "No not here, I can tell." She laughed. "Even when those boys came in all bloody from fighting I wasn't scared, they yelled at each other but there eyes gave away there true feelings, even if they hated each other they would also fight for them. It was something I had never seen before."

"It's true. " Cana said. "A guild should be a family, and in fairy tail, it's our greatest strength. This guild is built on the bond of people, some of the guild greatest magic comes from the sheer love we have for one each other. No matter how sappy that sounds."

"I think it sounds wonderful." Levy said.

Cana looked at the girl thoughtfully, "You're a strong girl Levy, Hell you lasted five years in Phantom Lord, and that's impressive enough. But I know you, even if you stayed to yourself, there were always this fire in your eyes, whenever you saw another girl hit or messed with I saw the anger in you, even if you hid it. You'll fit in well here."

"I hope."

"I know." Cana stood up and stretched. "Come on, you really should get some rest."

"Cana."

"Hmm?"

"I'm not as strong as you think." she looked down. "Before, right before Juvia brought me into the forest, I had given up. I had lost that fire."

Cana looked at the girl for a moment. "Is it still gone?"

"Huh? No, I'm better but-"

"Than don't say you gave up, if so you had you'd still be a hopeless wreck, everyone hits a moment in their lives where they say they can't go on, but in the end that's just what it was, a moment, and them they find they still have that spark to fight on. And so they do, just like you are now."

Levy looked at the girl, before running forward and hugging Cana tightly. "Thank you."

She laughed, "I did nothing, you did it all on your own." Levy looked up and the girl winked. "So how about we head down and keep fighting on?"

Levy let go and glanced at the ring before closing her fingers around it and nodding at the girl. "Okay."

* * *

A year and a half has past since that night on the rooftop, and in that year Levy grew.

Not physically, though she wasn't skin and bones anymore, she didn't get any taller. But she grew in other ways. Her magic slowly came back to her and stronger, finding many books on script magic she explored her magic and found she was actually very good at it. She still wasn't the strongest, nor an avid fighter, but her magic and knowledge allowed her to work as a mage in the guild, allowing her to pay rent in her new room at Fairy Hill.

Her father had left her a large sum of money, not enough to live the rest of her life on certainty, but enough to supple her with clothes, food, and room and board at fairy Hill for that time, she tried not to spend it when she started her work hand set it aside for a rainy day. Or to buy books.

It turns out the room they had placed her in was the last one available, and its very walls where book shelves. Juvia had mentioned that she loved reading after they had brought her back. Most had been empty on her arrival, but after a year they where already full and overflowing, with books on everything she found interesting, the first time in ages allowed to read whenever she felt like it when she was on missions with her knew friends and team members in shadow gear.

In her first weeks of recovery she had met everyone in the guild, including two boys named Jet and Droy. For some reason they had ended up being her closest friends. Since they didn't go on hard missions Mira asked them to take her along on one when she was ready, and they'd been doing on missions together ever since. The two where a bunch of clowns, nice, and very protective yet also childish, loving to brawl in the guild fights like everyone else. She welcomed their great difference in personality form the men at Phantom Guild.

Speaking of everyone else in the guild she also became very close to many of the girls in the guild. She and Lucy shared a love for books and when she had found out Lucy was writing a novel she pestered the blind girl unit she allows her to read it. Now whenever she had a new chapter she'd show it to Levy. Cana of course remained close, and Levy had laughed the first time seeing Cana drunk, but didn't mind it. Though they never talked as much, they always shared there wink bet each other whenever they made eye contact but otherwise held a deeper unspoken bond. And for them that was good enough. Juvia was another story, and Levy always smiled at how much the girl had become a hopeless mess of hearts whenever it came to Grey, and also quite the stalker. They sat together sometimes, but Juvia always seemed focused on the boy that seemed to have no care for her at all. Levy was slightly confused at her determination of the unrequited love but then again Juvia was a strange girl.

And Lastly there was Wendy, the small dragon slayer that moved into fairy Tail a half a year later right next to her. The two immediately became very close, sharing many bedtime stories and days into town together (sometimes Juvia would come over too and ball her eyes out whenever the guy got the girl in the end, saying something about how one day it would be her and Grey). At first Levy did it to get the girl comfortable in the guild and be a friend she could trust but soon she did for other reasons. Wendy reminded her of herself. Alone in the world, except for her Exceed, and small and shy but very open in feelings. She always fretted over her when the girl went on missions.

So when she entered the guild one day to hear Wendy was in the infirmary she was very scared.

She burst into the infirmary and was grateful to see the little girl sitting in bed, a smile on her face looking up at Mira. She had a wrapping on her head and arm and seemed a little scratched but other wise seemed fine.

"Wendy! Are you all right! What happened!"?

Wendy smiled. "I'm alright! I was on a mission when I ran into a Blizzardvern."

"Blizzardvern! How did you get away!"

"Well, I almost didn't."

Levy sat down next to the girl, fretting. "What happened?"

"Well, I was returning when suddenly it attacked me out of nowhere. I tried running away but it was very fast, even Charle frying me was hopeless."

"Wendy-"

"We where both pretty beat up but then all of a sudden this mage come out of nowhere!"

"Mage?"

"Yeah! He was really strong! He showed the Blizzardvern who was boss in no time! Even if he did get beaten up pretty bad himself. Right Charle?" The cat nodding. "Anyway, I fainted after the monster went away, blood loss, and the next thing I knew I was waking up here. Charle said he carried us back, despite his injuries."

"You're very lucky! I'm just glad you're alright." Levy said relieved and smiling. "I'm happy someone was there to help you too."

"Yes it was very nice of him." Said Charle. "Even despite how he looked."

"Looked?" Levy asked confused.

"He looked like a scary tough guy. Not one who would go saving a girl like me! But he was really nice to me before I passed out."

"Well you can't judge a book by it-"

Wendy continued on cutting her off. "He had these really weird piercing on his eyebrows and nose! They looked kind a funny. And also long black hair, Kind of like a lions main, and then there were his red eyes - Levy? What's wrong?"

Levy had stood up and started walking to the door. "Nothing just forgot I had something I needed to do. Sorry Wendy I'll come back and visit a little later." She reached the door handle. "Wendy? What happened to him after he brought you her?"

"He went off with Master Makarov." Answered Charle hesitantly, wondering at the girls reaction. "Wendy was passed out when he dropped her off early this morning in the infirmary."

"Thanks," She turned back to Wendy smiling brightly. "I'll see you around."

She walked out the door and ran to the exit to her hide out on the roof. Once on top she leaned against the wall of the next level of the building and slid down it trying to catch her breath. _It can't be! I thought he was dead!_

_No one ever said what happened to him though..._ spoke the voice in her head. You never asked and they said nothing. _He's really alive? All this time?_

She reached up and grabbed a chain on her neck pulling it out from under her dress and looked at the metal ring at its end. In that year she could never bring herself to throw it away, nor could she put it back on her finger. Instead she found a simply chain and kept it around her neck.

_Why now? After all this time why had I heard nothing of him? And now all of a sudden he's the one to save Wendy's life! _Gajeel she knew would never have stuck his neck out for anyone.

_He once did for you... _Her thoughts flashed back to the night he saved her from being raped by the men in the guild. She shook her head that was for him and him alone.

Once she had her breathing again under control and her composer, she went back down the stairs. _He went of with Makarov? What business did those two have?_

She slipped down the ladder and into the guild house, she had questions and she was going to get answers.

Finding her way to his office she nocked vigorously. When no one answered she wiggle the doorknob and found it locked, she solid scripted the word unlock on it and she heard the bolt click and opened the door, _if he's not here I'll wait, I don't think he'll be that-_

She froze at the sight before. At his desk master sat crisscross on top of it a surprised look on his face, and one of worry. "Master? Why didn't you answer the door?" She walked in and the door closed behind her. Levy looked to see what caused and her blood ran cold.

"Levy, now don't scream, let me explain-" She wasn't paying attention anymore, and she had no intention at screaming, it was beyond her how to at the moment. Leaning against the wall by the door with his arms crossed in an all to familiar way, was a face she had thought she'd see again. _What was he doing here?_

The man in question looked back her, even if his face held nothing but she could tell from his eyes that he was just as surprised to see her here as well.

"Gajeel?" She finally managed to let out in a whisper. His eyes flicking over her body, and resting a moment at her chest where her necklace hung, she'd forgotten to put it back under her dress, his eyes hardened and lost their surprise before they moved back and looked het in the eyes.

He nodded. "Levy."

* * *

**Master's got some explaining to do!**

**The next chapter is going to be what happened to Gajeel that year apart.**

**R&R! Please!**

**again sorry for the wait!**


	7. Chapter 7

He sat on top the pile of rumble of what use to be his room and inspected the scene in from of him. The wall around the entrance had been completely destroyed, the ruble flying so far you would almost think that there hadn't been a wall there in the first place. The main guildhall was in the nearly same predicament, only a wall half standing, the other parts crumbled and smoldering in embers. The rest of the place was the same, buildings all or half destroyed, surrounded here and there by smoldering embers still release white smoke from the battle the day before.

All in all the place looked better then it had in years in his opinion. He picked up a piece of metal and took a bite out of it. "Finally get a bit of fucking peace as well."

It was the quietest he'd ever heard the place. That being the fact that the place was deserted, the men running off in all directions after Jose had fallen, even the elite members disappearing. The slaves as well, not hesitating a moment to make their escape through the broken wall. He was the only one left, just him and a pile of nothing. He would be gone to, who knows doing what but definitely not hanging around this hellhole. But he had one problem.

He looked at the early rising sun,_ the drug wouldn't be wearing off until the evening,_ and he had until then to figure out what to do with her. He had planned to bring her back after the fight, she being none the wiser. Except now...

He had miss judged Fairy Tail. He had thought they were weak, not worth the fight Jose was looking for when they were to kidnap that girl. He had thought it would be a waste of time to even mess with them. But when he went to check on their reaction he saw how riled up they where and it was then that he new things were going to get ugly, especially with that dragon slayer they had.

But even them he still didn't think that phantom lord would actually lose.

It was the first time he'd lost a fight in ages. Not since his first meeting with Jose as a kid had he lost a fight. He didn't like losing, especially to a pink haired salamander. He didn't even now how he had lost to him, the damn boy just kept getting up, wouldn't say no. And the next thing he knew he was on his back in defeat. Along with the rest of Phantom Lord.

So here he was in the morning light, sitting on a pile of rubble in the smoke of what remained of his guild, trying figure out what to do next. Or figuring out what to do with _her _next.

Footsteps behind him pulled him out of his thoughts and he looking behind him, turning his arm into a sword as a precaution. _Who the hell would be here? _He squinted into the smoke and as the wind blew he suddenly saw the shape of a small man standing there, looking at him with a steady gaze.

Gajeel laughed and changed his arm back to normal picking up the piece of metal. "Didn't think you'd be back _Master Makarov_. Have a look around the place, ain't much here, the other men took whatever was valuable" He tapped a bag of coins near his feet. "This ones mine though."

"I'm not here for treasures."

"Well if you're looking for a fight old man you ain't going get one neither." Didn't take you for one to bounty hunt."

"I'm not here for that either." He heard him chuckle and continued to walked forward, only stopping behind him. "Does metal really taste that good?"

"Fuck off."

He chuckled and it pissed Gajeel of even more. But before he could say anything he continued. "Juvia came to me last night, she'd like to join our guild."

"And?"

"Should I let her?"

He raised an eyebrow and stopped munching on the piece of metal but didn't turn around. "Why ya asking me?"

"Just answer the question."

"She's a hell of a mage." he shrugged.

"I know that."

He was quiet for a moment, hoping the old man would give up and leave but he kept waiting. Finally he put down his metal. "She's a good one, definitely crazy but good. She had a hard past, not her doing but pushed on her, one she shouldn't be judged on. She's as loyal as hell, even if to someone that makes her do the thing like Jose made her do. If she joins your guild you won't regret it." He turned to look at the man, "There, does that fucking satisfy you-"

He looked and surprisingly saw the old man smiling. "Quite."

"Is that all ya want?"

"Not quite." He smiled. "You know, you remind me of my grandson."

Gajeel raised an eyebrow at the statement, _what the hell is wrong with this man. Everyone in Fairy Tail is crazy-_

"He liked to be alone, didn't take crap from anyone, kept to himself and definitely didn't like weak people." He moved and sat on the ground next to Gajeel and Gajeel stared at the crazy man. "I see him following his fathers foot steps sometimes, but I know deep down he is nothing like that man."

"Look old man I don't know what your getting at-"

"I want you to join my guild."

Gajeel stood up and started to walk away down the pile of stones laughing, "Gihi, you've got to be shitting me old man, I'm not in the mood for jokes."

"There are people in this world who enjoy being alone. But there isn't a single person who can bear solitude."

Gajeel stopped. "I destroyed you're guild-"

"I don't care about that-"

"I fucking attacked your guild!" He whirled around and looked back up at him. "Do you know how many of your people are injured because of me?"

"Yes you did hurt my children, " He gave Gajeel a threatening look, "and no matter what happens I will never forgive you for it."

"Then why the hell are you asking!"

He held up a hand that somehow made him shut up. "I may never forgive you for that. But if I were to ignore a young man attempting to fall into darkness, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself even more." He held out a hand down to him, "This is not salvation. It's simply a guiding light towards tomorrow."

Gajeel stood frozen at the man, though shorter then him still managed to give of the air of towering over him. How could he ask him this? If Gajeel was in his spot he wouldn't have even come back in the first place, And yet here the man was, the man whose guild he personally destroyed, whose children he hurt, showing him mercy. Something no one had given him, something he never asked for and thought others weak for it.

But as he looked at the small old man in front of him he had never seen such strength in his life.

"I never asked for your mercy." He said sitting down and looking away.

"This isn't mercy, it's compassion. Mercy would imply I have the right to seek revenge with you. Compassion, my son, is something much harder give, and even harder to receive. And those who receive it never forget."

After a pause where Gajeel did nothing, just let the words sink in. Finally Master Makarov smiled gently, "I see you might need time to think, I'll let you have your time, and when you're ready my door is open." He turned and walked away, and as he did Gajeel looked after him contemplating his words.

_Compassion huh? _He turned back and reached into the collar of his shirt and pulled out an old metal locket. He stared at a moment before tightening his fist around it. "Oi! Old man, if you got room in your guild for me, how about this other mage I know?"

"Are you asking me a favor?"

He stood up and tucked the locket back in his shirt turning to the man grinning. "Don't worry, it will be a fair trade." Makarov waited for him to continue so he did. "I don't hear you saying anything nice about that son of yours, Ivan."

"My son was lost long ago, I still pray he may come back. But I know it is an empty wish." He looked mad. "Why do you bring it up?"

"Met him a couple of times when he had business with Jose, and he definitely doesn't like fairy tail on bit. Especially you." He saw the man getting angry so he got to his point. "But he's taken an interest in me."

Makarov raised an interested eyebrow, "Go on."

"He's tried to get me to come with him a few times, and now that Phantom Lord is wiped out he wouldn't bat an eye at me heading his way, with a vengeance for you all." he grinned. "And he'd like me even more of I was able to slip inside Fairy Tails walls, right under his old man nose."

"Gajeel Redfox, are you considering what I think you are." He asked, now very business like.

"I am."

He began to walk back to Gajeel. "You're telling me you would risk your life for Fairy Tail, A guild you're not even apart of, to be a double agent to my own son?" He stopped a few feet away and looked Gajeel over with uncertainty.

Well when he puts it that way it sounds stupid.

"Yeah, so do we have a Bargain?" He held his arms open and laughed, "Hell, All you have to do is take in one mage you got an inside man to your own son. You're getting one hell of a deal out of this. One mage, and a disposable man to spy on your son, probably the only one who could pull it off. You can't lose."

He was silent for a long moment; Gajeel was beginning to think he'd actually refuse then- "This mage must be quite valuable to you."

_You have no fucking idea. _"Do we have a deal?"

He stood there a moment longer then nodded. "We do, now where do I find this mage?"

"By the river about five miles south east. She's asleep under a large tree hidden in its root wrapped in fur; she'll be hard to track. She's going to wake up sometime this evening so she could wonder off if you don't find her before then."

"And does this mage have a name?"

He hesitated. "... Levy, Levy McGarden."

"You mean to say the daughter of Hanes and Amelia McGarden?"

Gajeel raised an eyebrow surprised, he remembered the fathers name when Jose had targeted him. "Yeah, you know them?"

"Old friends of mine, when they died at the hands of your previous master I had assumed she died as well."

_Fuck, _he was not expecting that. "Well she didn't, she's, sort of been in my possession for the past five years."

"I see, Lucy had told me about this girl as well, I had only heard the first name, I hadn't realized that the two where the same girl." he seemed to grown angry. "She was your slave?"

"Fuck I didn't know she was someone you'd know! It was either that or kill her!" He sighed frustrated. "Just are you going to take the damn girl or not?"

"I will, just, if I do you, something tells me you being apart of my guild will be tricky."

"You think I don't fucking know that? Just don't tell her, it will be awhile before I'd have to play the part as his spy, what with phantom lord being black listed, so when the time comes we'll deal with it."

"Very well, I'll look after her, in the mean time I expect you to hold your side of the deal." _Ha, deal? I bet you would take her in even without the bargain now. _Even if, he still nodded. He was a lot of things but he wasn't one to brake a deal, especially one he made. "I'll get on your sons good side and come find you."

"You know where to find me." He turned to leave and Gajeel looked down at his feet where he had sat the bag of gold. He bent down and picked it up. "Oi geezer catch."

He tossed the bag at the man. "Expenses, for the girl. And a bribe: Just don't tell her I did this. If she asks about me say I just disappeared. Trust me when it will be easier that way."

"Then how am I going to explain how we found her?"

_Shit, _he hadn't thought of that. Then idea came. "Juvia, you say she wants to join your guild right? She knows the situation. Just lie and say she hid her in the forest. The two are friends anyway that girl won't bat an eye at it."

The man gave him a hard look. "It seems there is more to you then meets the eye boy. You're a good man, don't prove me wrong."

He smirked. "Trust me, I'm nothing close to good. But I keep my word. You'll see me." He turned and walked away, his mind flashed to the look in her eyes before they had fallen close; the dead look in her eyes.

_I'm far from good._

* * *

"I give I give! Please, I was just doing it for the money! It's not nothing personal, look I won't try again!"

Gajeel walked up to the Mage cowering bloody on the ground, his three other companions already unconscious. He wiped a trickle of blood off his lip laughing. "Funny, that's what everyone else has said too."

He reached down and grabbed the man collar lifting him of the ground. "You're one Vipers boys I'm guessing, from Red Fangs." He had the guild snake on his neck.

"Please don't kill me." The man begged. He was an ugly one, Gajeel thought. Looked like a toad, had a tongue like one to.

"Heh. I'm not going to kill you." He tossed the man on the ground and pressed his boot to his throat. "I need you to go back to master and give him a message."

"Anything! Gah-" Gajeel pressed harder cutting off his pleading.

"If any of his boys try and come at me again; it will be his guild on the black list next. I'll be sure of that."

"Yes yes, we won't try again. We're sorry!"

"Then get lost toad face." Gajeel let go of him and he crumpled to the ground. He picked up his bag and continued on into the forest leaving the whimpering man to deal with his bloody comrades.

_Only his group came after me this week, guess they're finally getting the message. _It had been five months since the night fairy tail destroyed Phantom lord. And many dark mages have had their go at the bounty on his head. And his in particular because of the amount on it; put on by the rich ass guy he stole a couple bags of diamonds from.

_And accidentally killed his prized Shih Tzu in the process_. It wasn't his fault the little rat liked to get under his feet. _Tch, rich people get so hung over such little things._

But the reason so many dark mages where on his tail, besides the bounty, was because he was black listed. When Jose and Phantom Lord had been destroyed he and the rest of the mages had been put on the list. In the dark guild world that means other dark mages are allowed to collect bounties on the mages of the black listed guild, with out the fear of there guild taking revenge or create more tension between the already unfriendly guilds. If phantom lord hadn't been destroyed most black guilds would ignore it, letting the _legal_ guilds try it.

Even Gajeel had done it more then a few times when other guilds had been taken down, hell it was easy money and always a change of scene to take a bounty hunt gig now and again, especially when they were wanted alive.

After walking a good distance away from the fight he sat down on a log and reached into his bag and pulled out a bundle of bandages, wrapping the cut on his arm where one of them had gotten a lucky hit. At least it wouldn't need stitches, that was never a fun evening and involved a strong glass of whiskey.

"I know you're there so you might as well make yourself comfortable." He said not looking up from his task.

"Juvia has always wondered how Gajeel always knows when she is watching him." Came a voice as she stepped out from behind a tree.

"That's my little secret." He smirked. Actually it wasn't much of one, her water like body smelt like all types of water, so whenever he smelt the hint of fresh, salt, swamp, and morning due all in the same place he knew she was there somewhere. "Didn't expect to see you anytime soon."

"Juvia has a message from Master." She walked up and stood in front of him but he still didn't look up.

_Ah_, "So I take it he filled you in on our little agreement?"

"Yes."

"Well what's Makarov had to say? I'm taking to goddamn long?" He laughed.

"No, he says Ivan has disappeared, he can't find him anywhere, or news of him. He wonders if it is still possible that you can still find him, or if you'd like to cancel the deal."

"And what? He'd throw the shrimp out if I don't hold up my bargain? I bet he's already made her part of his damn family like you." knotting the crude bandage he looked up. Juvia looked different, her face was softer though still blank and her hairstyle was different but that wasn't it. She was about to say something but he cut her off. "Look, tell the man not to worry about it alright? When he wants to find me he will. Ivan is just testing me to see if I'll make it through the black listing, he'll come for me soon enough."

She nodded. "Master said if this was the case Juvia was to give you this." She held out a communication crystal. "To send a message to him when you've made contact."

He took it and seeing the girl didn't depart he raised an eyebrow. "Is that all? If so feel free to go. Can't be seen talking with my enemy and all."

Juvia stared down at him a long moment "Levy is doing well, she is becoming a strong mage and has made many friends."

He said nothing to that and she looked a bit longer before finally bending down in front of him and grabbed his bandaged arm to his surprise. "You still can't do a proper bandage," she said giving a half smile and unwrapping it.

He grunted looking away and letting her fix it. "It's been good enough for me."

"You would always wrap it horribly and wait till you got home for miss Levy to fix it." He said nothing so she continued, "Gajeel-kun Why did you let Levy go?"

"What makes you say I did?"

"Because she is at Fairy Tail and you are here, she is not with you so you let her go. And why did you ask Juvia to tell Levy that she hid her and not the truth?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Yes it is, if Juvia is part of the lie then she has to know the truth." She tied the knot at the top and Gajeel hated to admit it but it was a lot cleaner looking then what he had done. "Didn't you think Levy would have liked you more if she knew what you've done for her? It seems silly especially with this plan you and master have."

"Like it would change anything." He muttered standing up and grabbing his bag. "She's better off not knowing."

"Is she though?" Juvia stood up. "I thought Gajeel cared for Levy. And she knows deep down Levy cares for Gajeel as well. Why do you make yourself the bad guy?"

"Because that's who I am!" He yelled juvia having hit a nerve. "I'm the bad guy who locked her away for five years! I'm the one that tormented her, beat her! I'm the one who made her personal hell. That's who I am to her."

"No it's not. And you can't tell _me_ other wise Gajeel." He actually had to stop, she hadn't referenced herself as Juvia, and she only did that when she was really pissed off. Fuck, it was that night all over again. "You know that it was either kill her or make her a slave. And I know that you beat her to keep the other men away, I've has seen it. And you let her go to fairy tail, where you would have no luck of taking her back. I'm not blind Gajeel, so explain."

"Fuck woman why the hell do you care!" He turned back yelling angrily. "What makes it your goddamn right to have an opinion in my fucking business!"

"Because Juvia has always thought of you as a big brother." He looked at her surprised to see her face soften. "Because you would stand with her in the rain when no one else will. So Juvia wants to help him get out from under his own cloud."

He looked at the girl. So that's what was different, there wasn't a spec of rain or colds insight. Some how Juvia had relented her endless cloud over her head. He had come so use to it he hadn't even noticed its absents.

He sighed willing himself to calm down. "You know I'm black listed right? You would be too but you joined with Fairy Tail."

"Yes, master has made sure your bounty does not appear on our boards."

"Well how would I be able to take care of the shrimp when she already hates me and I'm on the constant move? She'd probably already be dead by now. Plus with her being in Fairy Tail I know where she is, if I hadn't put her there who knows where she could have wondered off too. At least there I know where she is and I could find her." _Besides I couldn't stand to see her look at me with those dead eyes. _He thought that last part and didn't tell her, she didn't need to know that part.

"Juvia didn't think of that." _You don't say? _He thought annoyed. "But why could you not tell her about you being the one who did all these things for her? Wouldn't they helping her liking you? Isn't that what you want?"

"Because it would only make her life more fucking confusing."

"Juvia doesn't understand."

He groaned "How would you take it if the one man who made your life a personal hell was then the one that rescued you from it gladly? That actually wanted you to be happy and free? It would fucking mess you up that's what. I'm still the bad guy and that's fine with me."

He started to walk away from the gaping mage when she spoke. "Juvia will keep this secret."

"Yeah yeah, just deliver the god damn message to the old guy, I'll contact him when the time is ready."

"Juvia will. Be safe Gajeel-kun."

He didn't reply and just kept walking. He'd said more then enough to her for a lifetime_._

* * *

It was another two months until Ivan came for him. He had been sitting in a grungy pub outside of the capital when the man walked through the door.

Gajeel watched as he looked around the room and upon spying the dragon slayer in his dark corner, a small smug smile that Gajeel will for to hate, landing on his lips. He strode over along with a busty red haired girl with wild looking eyes. He recognized from other meetings but never actually learned her name. "Is this seat taken?"

Gajeel looked at the man then took another swig of liquor, "You see anyone sitting there?"

The man laughed and took a seat. "I hear you had a little run in with my fathers guild a couple months back."

"That's the word." He grumbled, letting the other man do the talking.

"I warned Jose not to underestimate them. My father has many weaklings but there are those few special ones, like that dragon slayer Nat-"He stopped as a sharp blade poked at his throat. Gajeel had turned his arm into a blade and pointed it directly at the mans' jugular. He glared at the man deadly.

"Don't. Mention that name." He growled and pushed his knife closer so the tip touched the neck of his skin. "It's your olds man fault I'm stuck in this rat hole of a place black listed, I wouldn't mind slicing your throat at the moment. He's a sentimental old fool and even if he disowned you I'm sure it will pluck a nice nerve in him."

Ivan smiled and as he did so Gajeel saw out of the corner of his eye red strands of hair wrapping around the arm pointed at Ivan, then he felt the twist of it around his neck. He glanced at Flare standing behind him, she hadn't moved but her hair had. He'd forgotten about her magic.

"Don't threaten me Gajeel-Chan." Gajeel felt the grip around his neck tighten causing him to put up his scales on his neck, and his sword arm pulled away from Ivan's neck and held locked onto the top of the table. "It never works out for anyone. Even your old master Jose knew that rule." He sat back and raised a hand and Gajeel felt the hair slip off of him. He let out a gasp for air and changed his arm back. "Especially when I'm going out of my way to find you, I need a man like you in my guild Gajeel."

Gajeel laughed, taking a swig of his beer before answering. "Boy do I feel popular." He said sarcastically. "Two Dreyars asking me to join their guilds? I must be something special."

"What did you say?"

Gajeel smirked. "Your crazy old man came up to me after they took out phantom lord, wanted to _save me from my dark path._ It was pitiful to see, thinking I was some pansy or something. Why the hell would I join the guild that put me on the black list like some fool."

Ivan nodded, "And what did you do?"

"Played along for the hell of it. Told him I needed some time to think, tie up old ends. Hell I think he believed me, it was priceless. Just a small bit of revenge, hopefully I can pay them back more." He emptied his glass and stared at the silent Ivan in front of him. It was Ivan's turn to make a move, and Gajeel hoped he'd make the right one.

Suddenly Ivan started to laugh, really laugh; loud enough to silence the room and to have everyone stare at the man like he was crazy. _Which he probably is-_

"You're brilliant!" Ivan said when he finally calmed down. "Gajeel-Chan, I think you might just get your revenge. I couldn't have planned it better myself."

"Enlighten me here."

Ivan looked around at the silent crowd and glares at them until they went back to there own business. When it was done he turned back to Gajeel. "You say my old man still expects you to be coming around to join his guild?"

"Probably is, even if it's been seven months. Why?" The bar maid sat another drink in front of him and he took a drink.

"I want you to take up my fathers deal."

Gajeel gagged on his draft at his bluntness. "You're fucking insane right? I want to destroy that guild, not join it!"

"And destroy it you shall, from the inside. What better way to take down this guild but from its very seams."

"I'm listening."

"You spy on my father for me, learn their weaknesses, gain their trusts, and when the moment is right crush them!"

Gajeel thought it over and grinned. "As long as I get that pink haired brat I'm in."

"He's all yours, but only when I say. I'm afraid you playing your part mans you'll have to befriend him."

"Heh, piece of cake, that idiot will be easily fooled. I've played the part of a spy before."

"So Jose has told me." He motioned to Flare who handed him an object that he handed to Gajeel, when he took it he recognized it as a communications crystal, inside was a guild symbol, one he didn't recognize. "This is so I can contact you. I'd like you to join my new guild I've been planning, Raven Tail."

Gajeel turned to crystal in his hand, "So that's what you've been up to, I was wondering why you were taking forever ever to come find me."

"So you've been expecting me?" He laughed when Gajeel shrugged and smirked. "Yes, I've been building a new empire one that will take down fairy tail once and for all."

"Whose in it? Anyone I know?"

"Do you remember Obra?"

"Shit not that freak?" Gajeel had only seen him once, and other then that only heard confusing rumors about him.

"He and I have an understanding, I need mages that will be able to take out fairy tails top mages. And his, unique gift, is perfect."

"So where do I fit into your little scheme, that is before you decided to have me infiltrate their guild? What do I get out of this besides just the fun of taking down that guild?"

"You are a dragon slayer, and even more perfect; one with revenge in his heart. Besides that there are many perks to having a dragon slayer with your reputation as a face to my guild. Even while black listed you've nearly gotten all the dark guild off your back." He leaned in. "And if you can play your part you'll not only have your revenge, but be one of the most feared mages throughout Fiore under myself."

Gajeel laughed and tossed the crystal in the air before tucking it in his bag, on the other side of Master Makarovs one. "Done."

* * *

Almost a year passed before Ivan was ready to make his move. And in that year Gajeel was doing a lot of Ivan's dirty work.

Ivan it turned out had many enemies that needed a lesson, as Ivan liked to put it. And it was Gajeel's job to make the lessons happen. He didn't exactly enjoy it. When phantom lord was gone he had no allegiance to do such work anymore, no master over him. Under Jose he did it, no questions asked, hell most of the time he didn't mind. But under Ivan it was a different matter, he had no allegiance to the psychotic man.

Gajeel hadn't wanted to fall back into the dark mage world, maybe gone rogue, there where may mages like that; that didn't belong to a guild. But then he had to go and make the deal with Makarov, throwing himself back into the underworld of Fiore.

The work he did for Ivan was dirty, and didn't need mentioning. But he did it for two reasons. The first was that with each mission Ivan put his trust in him more, giving more information he was able to leak to Makarov and make it more believable that he would be one his side when the time was right to infiltrate Fairy Tail.

The other reason was that it helped keep his mind off her.

Ever since his meeting with Juvia in the forest she has always been in the back of his head. The missions kept him distracted gave him a reason to push the thoughts of her to the side. But when it was slow in between, when he sat around doing nothing but drinking or resting after training, he often found him fingering the metal locket around his neck.

It was a strange thing, the metal was cheap but strong, not fancy like silver or another expensive metal. It was also plain, only having a simple inscription of a dragon and an open book. He'd tried to open it many times but it was impossibly, not with out the risk of destroying it. It's not like he cared what was in it really.

He had found it around the neck of one of the lower guild members when he was passed out on the table. He recognized it as hers and snatched from the mages who never was the wiser. He had always tried to give it back to the girl but whenever he did he stopped. And now it was the only thing he had of her.

He was looking at it when he'd gotten the order from Ivan that it was time. He had found Gajeel's way into Fairy Tail. He had somehow found out that one of the younger mage girls was going on a job in the northern Fiore. And that he had somehow managed to get a Blizzardvern to attack her, allowing Gajeel to save the girl in time and be the savior and what not.

When he had question Makarov about it he found out that she was a dragon slayer, one found by Fairy Tail a couple of months earlier. The name was Wendy, and he sent a picture, a small girl with blue hair.

_Blue hair, why did it have to be blue hair. _He thoughts he made his way through the lightly snowing mountain top where the village she had been visiting on her mission. _Lets see, he should be here..._

"Gajeel, so glad you can make it."

He came to a clearing in the forest and found Ivan and Obra standing there, along with a grumbling Blizzardvern on the ground next to them, Obra probably doing his mysterious magic on it, he still hadn't been able to find out what his true powers were.

"I said I would didn't I? So when does the show begin?"

"Very soon. Actually," Gajeel followed his look and saw Obra's weird chimp thing bounding up and nodding. "Right now."

Gajeel smirked and followed the other two into the forest behind the creature. As they did Gajeel could pick up a new scent, him guessing it was Wendy.

"You know what your suppose to do?" Ivan asked.

"Yeah yeah, be the fucking knight in shining armor. Don't worry, I can do it. All you need to do is give me the signal to beat the crap out of the Blizzardvern.

In that moment Obra must have realized his magic because the creature roared up just as a small girl and a white cat entered the scene, in direct sight of the angry creature, which attacked instantly, charging the small mage.

As she ran off with the monster in pursuit Ivan nodded to Obra who let his imp run after them.

Ivan pulled out a crystal and through the imps eyes they could see what was happening.

Gajeel watched from Ivans shoulder as the girl and her cat tried to escape then, after that failed, tried to fight. Gajeel was impressed; the little mage could pack a punch with her dragon slayer powers. For a while he thought she was going to win and he noted this to Ivan. "The fucking midgets going to cream that monster soon. And then what?"

Ivan tutted. "Be patients Gajeel-chan. The fun is about to begin."

Gajeel raised an eyebrow and watched as suddenly Wendy's strong attacks suddenly died, hardly hurting the Blizzardvern, giving it a moment to retaliate and send the girl on defense. As he watched he found that the mages powers seemed to be weaker, not holding the punch they use to.

"What the fuck happened to her? She's a pansy now." He eyed Obra. "Remind me to stay on his good side."

"He comes quite in handy." Ivan laughed and looking at the crystal. "She'll be weak and defenseless soon enough, and then you can make your grand heroic entrance."

"Can't fucking wait." Gajeel marked sarcastically while stretching his neck.

He watched at Ivan's side as the blizzardvern continued to attack the small mage and he saw now with Obra interfering she wasn't going to hold out that much longer. _How long was the bastard going to wait?_ He thought as he watched the girl get beat up more and more. When she took a claw to the leg Gajeel finally spoke up. "Hate to say it but she ain't going to last much longer, and I don't think carting back a dead girl would do me much good."

Ivan tutted cutting of the transmition. . "Very well, if you must. But remember to play your part. I want to be thinking you're a part of that guild. Contact me when you've made it in."

"Aye." He sad and took off after the beast and girl. When he got to the area they where he charged directly at the beast, knocking it square in the nose. It was surprised by the sudden attack allowing Gajeel to attack again.

The beast roared and charged at its new target. Gajeel grinned and attacked again, getting a hit before the beast took a swipe at him and set him into a tree. He jumped up and charged back at the beast, dodging it's tail and upper cutting it in the chin making fly back. When it recollected itself it roared and Gajeel laughed and the two went at each other again.

* * *

Breathing hard he watched as the Blizzardvern finally retreated. _Shit that thing was harder then he thought._

He wiped a bit of blood of his eyebrow and turned to the girl and her cat things, it reminded him of that blue on Salamander had. He got over and bent down. "Oi, you guys alright."

"No, do we bloody look alright?" The cat said sharply and Gajeel rolled his eyes and stood up to retrieve his bag form where he had dropped it.

"Carla." He heard the girl whispered. "Be nice."

"I don't trust him."

"But he saved our lives, without us asking."

"Still he doesn't look like a good person."

"Oye!" He said and they looked up having not noticed him coming back. He rolled his eyes and knelt back down digging through his back, in the process taking out his knife.

"What do you think you are doing?" Said the cat with a threatening tone eyeing the knife.

He pulled his hand out of the bag and waved a bundle of bandages smirking. "Don't get you're tail in a knot, I'm just trying to help."

"See Carla." Whispered the tired girl. "He's just being nice..." Her eyes fell close and her body relaxed.

"Wendy!"

"Relax, she just fainted, she must have used a lot of magic and a bit of blood loss." He tied the bandage around her leg and another on her arm. He then did one on a cut on his forearm. "So what's a cat and girl like you doing up here in the mountains?"

"We were on a job and heading back to our guild when that thing attacked us. We weren't looking for a fight if that's what you're implying."

"Wasn't, so you two are in a guild," He glanced down and saw the mark on her arm. "And Fairy Tail I see."

"You know any of them?"

"More then I'd care to admit." He said and tucked away the bandages and picked up the girl. "Now what are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing? Fairy Tails in Magnolia right? It's a day and a half travel from here by foot. And I don't think you'd get far with out me." He glanced down at the cat and saw it favoring her left leg. "You want a ride too? Looks like you hurt you leg."

She gave him a look, then nodded, flying up to his shoulder. Why did he get the feeling that it felt like it was his honor to carry her?

He adjusted the girl in his arm and headed off in the direction of Magnolia. As he walked he saw Obra's creature looking at him then sprint off into the forest down the mountain.

* * *

They reached Fairy Tail when the sun was rising, the town barely awake. When they entered the guild they found the place practically deserted, despite a few passed out members and a waiting Makarov. When Gajeel entered the hall their eyes met and nodded silently heading back to the infirmary where they left Carla and Wendy to wait for Mirajane to arrive.

Makarov brought him to his office. "Stay here, I have things to do but we will talk. Don't leave or let anyone in."

Gajeel sat down in the chair kicking his legs up. He was fucking tired. "Trust me, I ain't going nowhere."

The master nodded and left, Gajeel hearing the click go a strong deadbolt. He adjusted himself and closed his eyes; he'd probably be in her alone for a while, might as well get a bit of a rest.

He was awoken what felt like moments later to the door opening and Makarov entering. HE glance at the clock, 1:45, he'd slept for nearly nine hours. Makarov came to the desk and sat down on top of it and looked him over.

"She's pretty beat up."

"Blame your son for that, he wouldn't let me go anytime sooner. I had to fucking tell Ivan I'd better go save her or else I'd be bringing a corpse back to you."

He nodded. "Glad you hadn't."

"Me too." He stood up and leaned against the wall, "So I guess this means it's time I became apart of this guild? Or did I do all that sucking up to your son for you to change your mind?"

"No, it's time you joined my guild, but it will be difficult, after all, Levy has become quite the member around here. Not to mention you destroyed the old guild."

"I'll make things work." He said. "You should-"

A knocking came at the door and a muffled voice spoke through it but the eaves dropping magic made it unrecognizable. He couldn't smell them either.

"You sure they won't get in?" He asked watching the handle jiggle.

"Nonsense, they'd have to be quite determine to get in here." The handle stopped. "See? Now what where you saying-"

The door opened suddenly and Gajeel looked at the master, _nice going old man. _He couldn't see the intruder but as soon as she spoke he knew exactly who it was. _So that's why I couldn't smell anything._

"Master? Why didn't you answer the door?"

He watched the girl step out of the door way and when she did he closed the door to keep her from running away and ruining everything. He watched her turn and her eyes grow wide at the sight.

"Levy, now don't scream, let me explain-"

He didn't listen to what he was saying, to busy taking in the girl in front of him. She looked good, she was still pale but healthier, her body seemed to fill out more. And she showed a lot more skin. She'd always worn those rags of clothes hiding her figure but now she wore a short orange sundress that showed off her hips and legs. As his eyes traveled up wards they locked onto a glint of metal having on her chest. As he recognized it his eyes widened a moment before he recollected himself having to keep the smirk off his face. _She still kept it. After all this time._

"Gajeel?" She whisper and he brought his eyes up to her own.

As he looked he noticed that they were full of life now, though surprised and almost angry looking at the sight of him. But certainly not dead. _Or scared._

He nodded at her. "Levy."

* * *

**Okay that was a hard chapter to write for some reason so sorry if its a bit choppy. The next one will come sooner because I know what I want to write and I have a seven hour plane ride to waste.**

**And we all thought Mirajane was the match maker in fairy tail XD! Only Juvia could make Gajeel say those things... twice!**

**The scene was a little repetitive I know but I had to do it. I love making Gajeel confess his feelings and be cheesy.**

**Thanks for reading! R&R if you'd like!**

**Lots of love to my reviewers! :3**


	8. Chapter 8

**So for things to work out the guild did its refurbishing and all so team fairy tail already new about the place. I'll be sort of messing around the time line now.**

* * *

"What is he doing here?" She said to Makarov taking a step back but not looking away.

"I'm sorry Levy, I didn't mean for you two to meet this way, and I was going to warn you."

She turned to look at Makarov. "Why is he here."

"I'm spying on his son for him." Spoke Gajeel and she looked back at him unbelieving then back at Master Makarov.

"Explain." She ordered.

"My son Ivan has been up to no good, I even lost his movements for a while. I can't allow that to happen again. Now Gajeel is pretending to spy on fairy tail for him but actually is working for me, so I can keep an eye on my son."

Levy nodded trying to wrap her head around it. In her time here she had heard stories about Ivan, none very pleasant, so she understood why he would take the chance to be able to know what he was up to. But what she didn't know why it had to be him. "Why him? Why of all people did you pick that man."?

"Oi I'm standing right here." She ignored him and continued to look at Makarov to explain. She'll trust his words. Not Gajeel's.

"He's the only one who could." The master finally said and the defeated look face made her stop the retort she was going to give on her lips. She closed her mouth and looked at Master Makarov painful expression. _It must be hard to have a son like that._

She glanced at Gajeel then back at master. She breathed out calming her nerves; she wasn't going to lose herself in front of _him_. "How can you trust him? How do you know he's not double crossing you?"

She saw Makarov look at Gajeel and as she looked back at Gajeel she thought she saw he was shaking his head. "We came to an understanding," Master said. "One I'm not at liberty to say. But know this Levy; if I doubted him for a second I wouldn't have let him into this guild. Or near you."

Levy nodded understanding but all the same felt betrayed. She had no right to say who or who not the master allows into his guild but letting Gajeel be a member was something else. As looked at the master she realized that if she pushed hard enough she could get him to take back the agreement, send Gajeel away to never come back, but she couldn't do the, she saw that he didn't want to ask her of this. She glanced at Gajeel and a shiver ran down her spine from the stare he gave her with his dull red eyes. If she pushed he wouldn't come back. It was all on her to make the decision.

She let out a slow breath. "Fine, the guild doesn't know about our connection. I made sure Cana, Juvia, and Lucy promised not to tell anyone. If this is going to work then you'll need them to keep quiet too. I'll ask them also. Juvia will probably do it easily and Cana will understand but Lucy along the others have gone off on that mission so you won't have to worry about them until they get back."

"Understandable." He said nodding in agreement.

"They know he was phantom lord and destroyed their guild so he'll have that to deal with but that's not my problem. If people ask I'll say that he's fine. I never really knew him in the guild, kept to himself. Left me alone."

"I couldn't ask for any more of you," he said and she could see the relief he tried to hide.

_What the hell am I doing? S_he needed to get out of here. "I'm going to take my leave."

She turned and went to the door and as she neared it Gajeel reached a hand out. "Lev-"

"Don't!" she yelled nocking away the light touch on her arm. "Don't come near me. You can be in this guild; I'll put in a good word, just stay, stay..." Her head grew dizzy, her eyesight narrowing. "Away-" she was gone before she even started to fall.

* * *

"Hey!" He reached out and grabbed the girl before she crumpled to the ground. _What the hell?_

"It seems it was to much at one moment to take in." Makarov sighed as he jumped off the desk. "We better bring her to the infirmary so she can lie down."

Gajeel nodded and lifted up the light girl and looked out at the hallway. "Won't I be seen?"

"It possible, but its Sunday, most are either hung over or just heading out on missions. And there is no one in the infirmary besides Wendy, Carla, and Mirajane."

"Whose the last one?"

"Tall white hair, demon take-over? You might have run into her."

_Shit her?_ "Hell I _know_ she doesn't like me."

"She knows of you're coming and has agreed to help from my asking." He stated simply.

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Who the hell haven't you told in the guild?"

"Only those now having been mentioned." He opened the door and Gajeel carried the girl over to one of the open beds and laid her on it.

"Levy! What happened?" He looked up and saw a practically healed Wendy walking over quickly, Carla close behind.

"Only fainted is all, Gajeel was helping me carry her back." He watched as Wendy's hands began to glow and she moved them over her body before nodding in agreement.

"Wendy here has healing magic." Explained Makarov, "Along with her air dragon slayer magic."

"Impressive." He nodded and the girl beamed up at him and Carla rolls her eyes, _we'll at one-person likes me_. _Who knows for how long though?_

"Do you know Levy?" She asked hopping up on the bed across from the bluenette.

"We have a past." Gajeel said and left it at that.

"What is he doing in here?" The four looked and saw Mira standing there with a pile of folded blankets.

"Mira, you know Gajeel." Master said much to cheerful in Gajeel's opinion.

"I remember. So you're finally here." She glanced down at the levy on the bed. "And I see Levy found out too."

Gajeel nodded and looked at the girl. "She had a lot to take in."

"I can believe." She smiled at Wendy. "Wendy dearie, can you go get a some bandages from the store room, I forgot to grab them."

"Yep!" She said and took off with her cat.

When she was gone Mira looked Gajeel over sternly. "If you so much as lay a finger on one of fairy tails members I'll cut you into a million pieces so slow you would have wish you where dead back at Phantom Lord. Especially concerning Levy."

"Mira..." Master said sighing.

"I like you: strait to the point." He said slightly sarcastic, he glanced down at the girl. "I'm not looking to cause trouble. Only brawl I was to pick is one with Salamander, other then that I'm just here for the old man."

Mira studied him a moment longer before nodding. "I'm holding you to that, and as for Natsu, just don't destroy my guild in the progress."

"Cross my heart." He said and he caught Mira smirk. Maybe fitting in won't be so hard if he can get _that_ girl to tolerate him. He glanced down at Levy; the only one that's going to be hard is she. "I guess I'll be taking my leave for now then."

"Right, be here tomorrow, we'll get this introduction over with." Makarov said rubbing his temple in thought.

"Aye. Say, how should I slip out of this joint? Don't think the way I came in would be a good idea at the moment."

"I'll show you the back way." Mira said and opened the door with him following behind. "Where are you staying?"

"Why concerned?" He teased and she gave him a look.

"No. I just don't want you wondering around Magnolia and causing a scene prematurely."

"I get it. I know a place. And it's out of the way of places fairy tail mages hang out."

"Makarov thinks of everything."

"He's very thorough." She agreed and opened a door but before he could get through she blocked his way. "I still don't like you Gajeel Redfox."

"Can say the same for you. Something tells me you know of mine and that girls old relationship."

"I do. So I may do it for the master but if you really want my help then I'm going to need a really good reason to trust you. Some reason I can put this guild in your hands, that I'll put _that_ girl back in your reach."

"And if I don't want to give one?"

"You have a dangerous enemy here, Masers wishes or not. Levy might let him go through with his plan but I have no problem making it all fall apart."

He looked her over. "You're one of those gossipy nosey girls aren't you?"

"The devil himself can't keep a secret from me." She said that with way too much of a serious face in his opinion.

"Fine," he glanced around before he leaned in a whispered in her ear then pulled back. "-And if you tell anyone I'll burn this guild to the ground, again, and I won't even care if you will kill me afterwards."

He pushed by her hand and strode off before she could reply. He didn't see the small sly smile grow on her face as she watched him walked off.

* * *

Levy woke up with a jolt in the dark room.

_This isn't Makarovs office?_ She thought and as her eyes adjusted to the dim light she saw it was the infirmary. _What time is it?_ She thought slipping off the bed and opening the curtains and seeing it was dusk. _I slept the whole day away!_

She hadn't meant to faint like that; she wasn't even sure why it had happened. She had thought she was in control of everything inside her, and then all of a sudden her body shut down.

She slipped out of the room and out the back exit to her favorite spot when she needed to be alone and think. And boy did she have a lot on her mind.

She sat next to the wall with a sigh and looked out over the magnolia evening, trying to figure everything out.

_He wasn't dead..._ That was all that ran threw her mind at the moment. He wasn't dead. She never really answered the question in all the time she'd been here. And now that it was answered she realized she never asked because she didn't know what she wanted to be the answer. And the one she had scared her more then the man.

"I knew you'd be up here?" Came a voice stopping her trail of thought and she looked over to see Cana's head popping over the roof. "Master Makarov told me to find you, and when you weren't in the infirmary I guessed you'd be here."

Cana finished pulling herself up the ladder and sat next Levy. "So what's up?"

"Gajeel's back." She said bluntly.

Levy saw Cana's fingers tighten around her bottle. "That bastard! What the hell is he doing here! If he's here for you I'll-"

"He's working for Master Makarov." She quickly interjected. "Gajeel is acting as a double agent on his son. He's pretending to spy on Master and Fairy Tail for Ivan but he's really working for Master."

Levy lifted the ring up and twirled it in her fingers waiting for it to sink into Cana. Finally, "What did you say to this?"

Levy stopped rolling the ring, "That it was okay, I'd play along with it all."

"Why the hell would you let that man near you? I'm going to give master Makarov a piece of my mind-" she moved to get up but Levy held her arm keeping her down.

"Don't, you should have seen Masters face, Gajeel is the only one who could have done this for him. It's the only way he can keep his son from doing something dangerous. The Master still feels it's his responsibility his son is the way he is. You've heard the stories." She looked down. "I can handle Mas- Gajeel. What I can't handle is me being the one who allowed Ivan do something the could have been prevented."

Cana didn't do anything for a long time until Levy heard her give a defeated sigh. "And what did you want me to do?"

She looked up hopeful. "We just need you to be nice to Gajeel, help him be trusted by other members. You don't have to like him, just tolerate-"

"I get it. I don't like it but I get it. I'll play nice. But I'm doing it for you, not for him. If he even looks at you the wrong way let me know and I'll beat the crap out of him. Master or no Master" She was silent for a moment. "Do you think we can trust him, I mean he did-"

"Yes." The word was out of her mouth before she knew she was saying it. She thought back to the sight of him in Makarovs office. The red eyes looking her over- "I mean, I don't know. I just, well."

Cana nodded seeing the confusion. "Alright, well, if this is happening I'm going to need a big drink of the strongest liquor I can get Mia to serve me. Want to join me?"

"Maybe later, I'm still not a big fan of the stuff. I'm just going to sit up here a bit longer, enjoy the sunset and all, but thanks." It had turned a beautiful orange, gold and red so it was a good excuse to stay up here.

When Cana had disappeared levy slip father down and lied on the warm wood laying an arm over her eyes. Her head whirling with hundreds of thoughts so she couldn't even focus on one.

"Do you know what I felt when I learned Gajeel was alive, when I saw him standing there in his office?" She wasn't speaking to anyone. She did it to allow a trail of thought to actually happen. "Relief."

Levy gave a choked laugh and felt tears coming in her eyes but she willed them back from practice. "Of all the things I felt, I felt relief he was alive. That he was back."

She grabbed the ring with her other hand and ran her finger around its edge. That's why she never wanted to know if he had been dead or not. She hadn't wanted to know what emotions the news would bring. During her time at Fairy Tail it had felt like a part of her was missing, that something hadn't been right in her time at Fairy Tail. An uneasiness that tickled the back of her neck endlessly. And seeing him its was filled. She took her arm off her face and blew at her bangs to calm her nerves and dry her eyes of the little water that did escape. "And I don't know what to do with these feeling. It scares me."

_I hate him; I don't care about that man. It was just old effects of worrying when he was late on missions. A survival reflex that hadn't warn away over time. You don't care about him. _She nodded with herself in agreement, ignoring the voice in the back of her mind saying otherwise. Finally tired from her inner struggles and ready for a night of sleep she climbed down the ladder and took the path to Fairy Hills by the edge of the woods. She wished Lucy were here.

As she past by the part of the woods next to the guild she went by unaware of the figure who'd been watching her intently from his spot in the branches, having heard every word she said on the roof top.

* * *

"Earth to Levy." A hand waved on front of her face and she jumped in surprise. She looked to see who's hand it was and saw Jet sliding onto the bench next to her, Droy on the bench on the other side of the of table.

"Oh, hey guys." She said smiling.

"Where were you yesterday?" Dory asked. "We looked all over the guild for you, and now we find you sitting here zoning out with a closed book."

"Sorry! I didn't mean for you guys to worry!" She said flustered. "Yesterday Makarov had me do something for him and I hadn't realized it would take all day. As for the zoning out I just finished the book and was thinking about it."

They looked relieved at her statement and they dropped thankfully. She tucked the book in her bag; she actually never opened it, she had brought it with her to start today but just couldn't concentrate. And as for yesterday she wasn't about to explain all of that to them. She had made sure to keep what happened to her not known in the guild. She already had there putty with them knowing she worked their. She didn't want to be pitted even more, especially by Jet and Droy.

She watched them smiling as they argued over a chess game they had and she settled in, listened smiling slightly. She liked these two, they loved to argue like Natsu and Grey but they choose words over fists, even if they weren't the most intelligent words in the world. It was one of the reasons she liked them, though they do love diving into some of the scuffles around here they usually didn't like to go on missions were they had to fight a lot. They weren't into fighting, even if they were decent and loved to act tough around her.

_Not like Gajeel, he was made to fight;_ she thought of the lean muscles on his body the last time she patched his up, he was very fit. Her minds eye traveled over his from and back until he shook her self; why was she thinking about his body now of all times? He was coming today! She only admired it back then because he was strong and she was weak right? She didn't need to think about it anymore.

Yet her mind decided to go against her wishes and played his image back though now it included his face and him looking at her with pure red eyes. They weren't bright, just, red like fresh red paint in Reedus's paint set. His red eyes sent a chill down her spine and her caused her hands to grab the necklace play with it.

"So what do you think Levy?"

"Hmm?" She said surprised by the sudden distraction and she let go of the ring._ What had she been thinking!_

"Who do you thinks right? Me or Droy."

"Me obviously." Droy said and Jet gave him a look.

"In your dreams, of course I'm right." He turned back to Levy. "Right Levy?"

"Well ah-" she never had to answer because the door opened and when it did the guild grew silent. Levy an the other boys turned to follow everyone else gaze to see Master standing in the entrance, with Gajeel towering behind him looking almost annoyed to be here.

"What the hell is he doing here!"? Shouted someone.

"He burned down our guild!"

"He broke my arm!"

More was about to be said but a lifted palm from Master quieted the room.

Levy glanced at Mira and Cana at the bar. She could see the Cana's white knuckles on gripping the bottle in her hand, and Mira cleaning the mug slowly both eyes locked on the figure like everyone else. Levy turned to look at Jet and Droy who had the same hard faces set, at least they never knew that she and him knew each other personally. _Though they will suspect something since we both were from phantom guild_. She saw Droy move forward on the bench and Jet lean forward, both in ways that put them sort of in front of her. _Guess they put together we where both at phantom guild._

"I'd like you all to welcome Gajeel Redfox to our guild." More shouts where made but he held his hand again. "Yes I know he destroyed our guild, and I know he hurt many of you. But he did it by the order of his Master."

"He could have said no!" Laki shouted.

"He followed orders. Just like you all did when I asked you all to attack and destroy _his_ guild." Levy glanced around the room and saw that got a few people to hold tongues. "He has come here for work and work he will have, I won't keep a poor lost soul out of my door."

"Watch it old man." He grumbled and a few guild members laughed. He turned to give them a glare as well.

"He won't do any of you harm, and I'd like you to treat him as a member of this guild like he is."

"Well then," everyone turned to Cana who had spoken up. "What will the little newbie have ta drink?"

That got the crowd laughing and Levy felt the tension in the room leave almost instantly, even she chuckled a little. She turned back to Gajeel and watched him smirk at Cana then his dark eyes traveling over the room at the faces and he strode in. He was nearing the bar when they found their way to Levy's table by the opposite wall. Where Jet and Droy had relaxed their position but still watched him. He looked them over then locked eyes with Levy. As they did her spine shivered and she had to force herself to keep from grabbing at the ring. She thought she said the slightest growth in his smirk for a second before it was gone along with his eyes as he turned to get an order from Mira at the bar.

"What crack pot idea did the master have that thought letting him join would be a good idea?" Jet muttered then looked at Levy concerned who was still staring at Gajeel. "Levy?"

She blinked and looked up at Jet. "Yeah?"

"Well?" He said nodding at Gajeel but all she gave him was a blank stare. "Weren't both of you at Phantom Lord? He didn't-"

"No, no! Gajeel, he, he was very secluded." That part was true next came the lie. "I hardly ever saw him there so I can't really say anything bad about him besides he was in that guild. He always seemed to be out on missions for Jose so I don't know much about him." She glanced over at him and he seemed to be talking to Mira. _Hardly know the man._

"Still, he might recognize you, and you never know what _those_ kind of men think." The thought Jet presented sent a chill down her spin.

"I don't think he's that bad." She lied and she saw the exchange between Jet and Droy. "Please don't go causing a fight with him because of me, he's never done anything bad to me, to me at least."

Jet glanced at the man who had retreated to a table in the corner; she looked as well and saw that he seemed to be dozing. She looked back at Jet who smiled. "We won't, promise, not unless he's asking for it."

"Yeah, we won't let him touch you." Droy said and Levy had to blush, they can be very blunt sometimes. But at least they believed her.

"Thanks," she said and they nodded satisfied Thank goodness they never found out, who knows what they might have done. They can be a little reckless.

The two settled down and began playing chess and Levy watched intently. Both where actually really good chess players. Like really good, best in Magnolia in fact. They have gone to a lot of tournaments, even in her short time here, and it's amazed her how much money you can make from chess tournaments. Levy was good herself but was nothing compared to those two, even if they let her win once in a while. So instead she sort of became the referee. And one was needed as the game commenced the banter and arguing began. Even chess is played Fairy Tail style: It was levy's job to say it was a fair move and keep them from starting a fight, which did happen.

As pieces moved back and forth on the board in front of her, Levy glanced up feeling like she was being watched. And a pair of dark red eyes met her. Gajeel looked over at her calmly, and when their eyes met he didn't look away to hide he was looking. Instead he held her eyes steadily, wanting her to know he'd been watching. Their eye stayed locked for a moment before he took a drink and let his eyes drift to other parts of the room as if nothing happened. A shiver went down her spine and her breath caught in her throat.

"Check!" Yelled Droy.

"What! Like hell." Jet moved his king. "You ain't got me yet- what's up Levy?"

She had stood up and was slipping her book into her bag. "I forgot this book is due today at noon. If I don't leave now I'll have to pay a late fee."

"Wait we'll come with-"

"It's fine, it's just to the library, besides, I was going to look around and read and I know you guys get board when I do that." They looked torn so Levy gave them her best smiled and hugged each of them, which made them relax. "See you guys at dinner."

She turned and left the guild before they could say anything. She really wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

She walked the warm streets of Magnolia and finally stopped by the Wall Lucy loved to walk on. She sat on the edge and let her feet dangle over the side above the sparkling blue water. She watched the fisherman and the few other boats as her mind filtered out her thoughts.

She had been able to lie to Jet and Droy to easily. Even she believed what she said_. I must be crazy, Gajeel? Had not done anything to her? Not bad? After all he's done to me. It's his fault it took me so long to trust another's touch. _Her first couple of days in Fairy Tail she had flinched badly when fights broke out and it felt strange to have people touch her gently. She was so use to his hard touch that she had almost missed it. And she hated him for that.

_It's his fault; she tried to believe y_et something in her still wouldn't allow herself too. She still couldn't put the blame on him. She leaned back on her palms on the wide wall and looked up closing her eyes.

"I'm so confused." She sighed. She had no idea how she felt about him. She was scared of him, which was true. She scared him for always hurting her and touching her. She hated him for that as well, his cold touch and harsh words directed at her whole time in his guild, never a kind word. Yet she couldn't blame him for her entrapment there still. The there was the part of her that was grateful for him because he gave her the bruises that kept other men away from her, kept her from working in the main hall. The part that was envious of his body and his ability to have been able to go outside the walls. She had been jealous of his freedoms. That was a big thing; he had been free while she had been on a chain.

Her mind went back to moments before where their eyes had locked in the guild, the memory sending the same shiver down her spine. _What's happened to me! _She yelled inwardly, she had been so good at keeping her emotions under lock and key back then. But even after only a year and half or so she was already out off control of them. Then his touch and eyes did nothing to her, but now she felt-

"This sucks." She groaned in frustration.

"Bored cutie?" Came a slurred voice and she looked behind her to see four boys stopping by her, obviously drunk.

"We can show you a good time." One laughed.

"No thanks." She said and tried to slide of the wall to get away but one trapped her by his arms on either side of her.

"You sure? A cute thing like you wouldn't want to miss out on what we have in store for you." He leaned in very close; his breath was a sharp like vodka.

"Leave me alone." She said and kneed him hard then jumping over his body and walking away. She thought they would give up on her after that, being in a public area but suddenly she felt a tight grip on her arm and before she could say anything a knife on her side.

"Wrong move girl, now you don't get to enjoy this. Keep smiling and quiet or this knife goes in you. I don't mind causing a scene." He pushed hard enough to draw a bit of blood and Levy felt he had done this before, and he was telling the truth. He walked her over to an alley way and far down it, the other three boys following soon behind. He released her and tossed her on the ground and Levy immediately reacted.

"Solid script: Stone!" she shouted and show the word at the two closest standing boys. Who got hit and rammed into the wall. She stood up looking at the other two.

"We got a fighter boys! And a mage!" The seeming leader laughed, they didn't seem that drunk anymore.

"Solid script fire!" She who it at the boy who spoke but he dodged in.

"Two can play at that game. Rope Magic!" The coil of rope on his side seemed to come to life, shooting at Levy.

"Solid Script: Fire!" She shot it at the rope and it caught on fire and chard away.

"Almost missy." The coil grew again and shot out at Levy's wrist wrapping tightly.

"Solid script: stone!" She shot it at the boys who had to dodge it, giving her a moment.

"Solid script knife." The blade appeared in the air in front of her.

"Shock!" One yell from his spot on the ground and as Levy touched the blade a charge surged throughout her body clamping her muscles rolled, her jaw tight. As it stopped she collapsed to the ground twitching involuntary from the electrocution, her body and voice gone from her control. The blade dropped uselessly in front of her eyes.

"See, that's what happen when you play with knives." He teased and kicked the knife away as the other boys surrounded her, the other two recovering. As they did the top coiled around her other wrist and pinning them to her chest as it then went around her neck and up to gag her mouth. "You hurt me and my friends, and that wasn't very nice. Right boys?"

The others nodded and voiced their agreement.

"I thought it was fucking hilarious myself." a voice said from behind her that she knew all to well. She tried to look but her body still wasn't all hers and the ropes prevented much movement.

"Who said that? Show yourself." Levy heard footsteps and saw the leaders voice waver. "Gajeel, I didn't know you where in town."

"Recently got here. What were you thinking about doing with that girl?"

He looked down at her. "Teach her a lesson, have a little fun, sort of the same thing."

"I don't think she wants to. Better let her go."

"Ha! They usually don't. And why do you care? Grew a conscience?" Then his eyes locked onto something and he laughed. "Well I'll be, the great Gajeel Redfox made himself a fucking Fairy." The others laughed as well. "Didn't think you'd be that desperate for a guild."

"Wasn't got bored and they got good jobs. At least I ain't running around in the alleys, Marcus right? After your failed little guild crumbled, what was the name? Omega Eye?" Levy looked up and noticed now the black eye with the omega as the pupil.

"Still no excuse to go to the other side. Anyways can't you let this one be ours? What she to you?"

"Look at her shoulder." He gave Gajeel a questioning look then gestured at one of the boys who bent down and roughly turned her over. "Remember how I hate someone is messing with my guild?"

He pulled down her jacket sleeve enough to reveal her guild tattoo.

"Shi-" He couldn't finish when a metal rod rammed into him chest sending him flying and unconscious. The others charged Gajeel but she couldn't see. As the fighting went on behind her she focused on getting up, the bindings now loose when Marcus wen unconscious.

By the time she was on her knees she realized the alley was rather quiet. She turned around and saw Gajeel standing there, seemingly not out of breath and unscathed with the other three unconsciouses around him.

They looked at each other a long time. Why was he the one who had to save her? And why was he here? Was he following her? Was he planning on doing what they where going to do? She started to feel panicked and struggled to get up.

"Can you stand?" He asked and in reply she stood up wavering slightly.

"I'm fine." She said trying to take a step but her knee gave out. She would have fallen but a hand reached out and grabbed her arm catching.

"Like hell you are." He muttered.

"I don't need your help." She snapped pulling her arm away and leaning against the wall breathing hard. _Why did her have to be here?_ She tried to walk with the walls support but her knees where to weak for even that. His hand came to catch her again but she pushed away, not looking at him. "Look thank you for your help but I didn't want it. I told you to stay away from me."

"So you wanted me to let them rape you?"

She paused. "No, I said thank you for that. But why where you here?"

He laughed. "I ain't stalking you shrimp if that's what you think."

She was silent, she wasn't going to say anything, and she didn't trust her tongue. He growled but it wasn't a menacing one, more annoyed. "As hard to believe as it is I actually live around these parts. I was walking home when I saw you and Marcus going into the alley followed by the other three boys."

"Oh." She said and moving again but swayed, Gajeel grabbing her arm.

"Look, at least let me help you to the street."

She was about to say no but looked down at the four boys on the ground. Either receive his help or take the chance they would wake up. "Fine."

She didn't look up as she hooked an arm around his waist and he grabbed around hers practically holding up her whole weight. She looked down to hide a blush that went on her cheeks, so much for him to stay away. _And why the hell am I blushing! _She thought annoyed again at her emotions.

_He still smelled the same_, she wondered as they made their way quietly down the alley her eyes locked on their feet, _steel, musk and earth_- _stop thinking about that Levy!_

_But you've missed this_... came the voice in the back of her head. When they came to the busy street he sat her down on the bench. _You miss his strength, his security around you-_

_No I don't!_ She shook her head and lost her foot causing her to trip and grab onto him even more. He tightened his grip on her waist. "Ya okay?"

"Yeah." She mumbled as they came to the mouth of the alley and he sat her on the bench.

"There, was that so hard?" He teased but she didn't say anything and didn't look up at him. "You ever going to look at me?"

She looked up at him. His eyes where dark red. As she look of all things they gleamed a little and he chuckled. "It's been a while since you've glared at me like that."

She clenched her fists to keep herself from shaking. _What was with this man! _He was acting so unlike she expected, it scared her almost. Didn't he remember at all what happened between us? "I'm tolerating you being in this guild, that doesn't mean we are friends. I haven't forgotten what had happened at Phantom Lord. Between you and I, I'm not exactly ready to face it yet. In case you forgot I was your slave. You beat me." She looked down. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you Gajeel."

"Fine." She looked up at his word surprised and saw him lean down and grab the back of the bench on either side of her. His face was inches from hers. She calmed her nerves and forced herself to be emotionless.

"M- Gajeel?"

"I don't mind playing the bad guy for now." He whispered and then leaned back up and walked away as nothing happened. "I see you haven't lost your fire."

She stared after the man until he rounded a corner and then she stared at the place he left for a good while, completely taken aback by his actions. Finally she leaned forwards and rested her forehead I'm her hand. If she had been confused then now she was completely lost.

* * *

She didn't see much of him for a week; she went on a mission and so did he. And when they were both back in the guild she made sure to be with Jet and Droy and not look at him.

But just because she didn't see him didn't mean she didn't think of him. The incident played in a never-ending loop in her mind, her trying to figure it out. _Why did he wait until I was tied up to step in? Did he really live around those parts? Had he done that with Marcus other times?_ More and more questions popped up but one thing the most nagged her greatly. When he had grabbed her arm it had been strong, but soft. The whole time he help her out of the alleyway and to the bench he had been gently with her, putting her on the bench slowly. She didn't even have a bruise on her arm afterwards. Who was the real Gajeel?

He had acted gently to her, unlike the hard Gajeel she'd known. And his words, _the bad guy for now? Her fire? Had he realized she'd given up that night all that time ago? _The closeness of his face brought a bush to her face she didn't want.

"Levy! Heads up!" She reacted in time to catch the beach ball went on her direction. "Hey!" She laughed bumping it off in some direction for her guild members to chase. Shadow Gear had come back form a mission and was enjoying some fun by the pool. It had taken Levy a while to find a swimsuit that wouldn't show her scar But finally now that she had one she enjoyed coming here. At the moment she was reading a book on a beach towel with Jet and Droy near by playing a game of chess "Levy look!"

She turned and saw Lucy and the rest of the Fairy Tail gang enter the doors to the pool area. "Lucy! You're back!" She ran forward and gave her friend a huge hug. "How was your mission?"

"Interesting, more importantly what did you think of my chapter so far?"

Levy's eyes practically sparkled. "Wait it's in my bag let me go get it."

She ran to go get it where Jet and Droy who didn't look up from the game being at a critical moment. "What's up?"

"Me and Lu-Chan are going to talk about her chapters." She said grabbing her bag. As she rounded the corner and stopped in her tracks. Master was introducing Gajeel to them. _Lucy! I forgot to warn Lucy! If she slips I'm finished!_

"... You know what they say, tomorrows enemies are todays friends." Master said.

"Even worse he-" Lucy began but quickly Levy cut her off.

"I'm not bothered at all really!" She said from her spot by the corner. They looked at her and she stared at Lucy, hoping that she would stay quiet. Jet and Droy had come up behind her having noticed she had stopped and stood silently behind her, most likely glaring at Gajeel. But she didn't have to worry long because Natsu started to rant taking all their attentions away except for Lucy's who stilled looked at Levy questioning. She mouthed a please and Lucy nodded, she knew they would talk later.

As they left Droy spoke up behind her. "I still don't trust that man. He is always watching you."

"What?"

"Droy..." Jet groaned, obviously they hadn't meant that to slip, he turned to Levy serious. "Whenever we both are in the guild he's always looking at you. And he's not secretive about it. He's dangerous Levy, he must remember you from Phantom Lord."

"He won't do anything to me." She said but she was slightly unsure. "I was nothing to him back then."

"That may be what you think." Jet muttered looking over at Gajeel.

Levy's eyes grew wide but couldn't inquire farther when suddenly the lights went dark and Mira took the stage, Levy watched thankful to the distraction until she felt a tug on her arm and saw Lucy leading her down the hall away from the crowd. When they where alone levy started. "I know what you're going to say but hear me out. Gajeel is helping master on a mission to spy on his son. He is acting as a double agent, spying on Makarov for his son but really giving information on his son. He has to be in the guild for it to work. Gajeels promised to keep his distance from me until I'm ready to face him again."

Lucy still looked piss. "I saw how he treated you in phantom lord Levy!"

"Keep it down!" She whispered looking around to see if anyone had been nearby. "Just please, be tolerant of Gajeel, he won't me, and I don't want to let master down."

Lucy pouted but nodded. "Fine, but if he wants a fight I'll be more then happy to give it to him."

There came shouting and the two girls looked around to see ruckus starting.

Levy chuckled. "I think Natsu beat you to that."

"That idiot!" She yell racing out to the main guild where Mira had started an upbeat song.

* * *

Levy slipped out the back door later that evening smiling to herself. The guild, even with Gajeel, was the same as ever. They had brawled and laughed, she had played chess and chatted with her teammates. Cana drank everyone under the table. It was a regular Fairy Tail night. She had barely escaped after Cana had begun to cling to her. She only was able to escape when she got Cana to challenge Elfman to a ranking match.

She walked down the streets of Magnolia towards Fairy Hill thinking of Gajeel. He and Natsu fought soon enough, hardly was ten minutes before they were at each other's throats. Levy had been scared but as she watched she realized it wasn't threatening. It was a brawl like every other time at the guild. And even more Gajeel seemed to enjoy it. It wasn't his usual quite stoic self she had come to know. He never went to the guild house in Phantom Lord much, was either in his room or out on a mission. She had been his only company most of the time. She never took him as one to fight for the fun of it like Natsu loved to do.

_Maybe I've had been wrong about him... _Her mind flashed to him over her beating her and her smile fell and the tune stopped. _Someone like that doesn't change; he was still that man deep down._

Part of that thought made her sad. A part of her that she refused had been hoping, slightly, that maybe Gajeel was good. She wanted him to be good, and then these confusing emotions would make sense possibly. And his changing attitude didn't help either.

She walked on until she came to the small bridge that went over the river in this part of town and her way to Fairy Hill. Next to the river was a small pub that served their own brew and really good potpies. It was run by an old couple that she had been hired by to find the papers of ownership for that allowed them to keep their business, after that they usually gave her a small discount so she ate there often and she also enjoyed to visit and visit with Mr. Barman. Her stomach growled, _I haven't had dinner yet and it's been a while-_

She ran into someone and fell back on the ground with a thump falling back and whacking her head slightly. She looked up and saw Gajeel standing there his back turned to her. _Where did he come from? _He turned around, his eyes bright red and angry looking for the person who ran into him. The sight of his eyes sent fear through her but she willed her body to not show it. "Watch where you're go-" He stopped when h noticed it was she and she watched his eyes calm down. "Oye shorty, didn't know it was you there."

She sat up rubbing her head, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Don't call me shorty."

He reached out to as if to offer his hand then stopped, as if remember what she had said. _Now he listens,_ She looked up at him and frowned before offering up her hand, which he took and pulled her up.

"Well careful there." He said as she gained her footing. "Never now what sort of bad people you can run into in these areas."

"Like you?" She said sarcastically.

"Like me." He said plainly but it sent down the wrong kind of chills down her back. He still held her hand still and when she had stood up she had gotten very close to him. She looked up and saw his eyes had grown brighter again and it made her breath catch. She let go and stepped back a little to quickly. To reclaim herself she grabbed the book that had fallen out of her back and dusted it of carefully before slipping it back in her bag. Before she could excuse herself a door opened followed by a shout.

"Levy! Dearie! Are you all right? That looked like a bad fall." Mr. Barman, the owner of the pub walked out with a worried look on her face.

Levy gave him a cheery smile. "I'm fine, I've had worse."

"All the same come in come in. The Misses got a fresh load of apples and has been making the most mouth-watering apple crisp in town. You must try it."

"Ah really that's-"

"And Gajeel here will join us won't you?"

That caught her. "Wait you know him?"

"I told you I lived in the area." He said. Levy blinked then remembered that that alley she had had the trouble in was only about two streets up.

"He's my new tenet for the loft above the pub," Barman said cheerfully. "Found him when I was fixing pipes and he was walking by and helped. When I heard he was looking for a spot to live I offered it up."

"See, told ya I wasn't stalking you." He teased and walked into the pub.

"Oh you know each other! Of course you do, being of the same guild how silly of me. Come come! You look famished." He said and pushed Levy into the pub. "Come sit here! Your favorite spot!"

He pushed her to the booth by the window, which also happened to be the one occupied by Gajeel. "Ah, I see Gajeel has also taken a liking to the spot, do you mind having company?"

"I'm really fine-"

"Whatever." He muttered and Levy looked at him shocked. He took a drink of beer like he hadn't said anything but Barman heard

"Perfect! Here Levy have a seat, I'll get that pot pie out in no time, in the mean time come to get your guild mate better." He winked and Levy flustered as he pushed her down into the booth across Gajeel. As he walked off into the kitchen Levy rubbed her temple, this was not what she expected.

"You don't have to sit here if you want."

"Then why did you offer?" She snapped.

He shrugged, _this man. "_Nothing keeping you from moving though."

She sighed. "Yes, Barman, I wouldn't hear the end of it if I moved again." She saw his questioning look and sighed. "The Barman's are like a crazy aunt and uncle to me. And they see themselves as the ones in charge of finding my next boyfriend. I walked out on the last guy having been fed up with it and they gave me the pitiful looks for a week. It was horrible."

Gajeel stared at her a moment longer then laughed. She'd never heard him laugh before. "You're crazy. Why they hell does it matter what they think? They aren't the ones who can make that decision."

"I don't want to hurt their feelings." She said simply crossing her arms. She couldn't say anymore for Barman came out with a potpie and glass of lemonade, her usual. As he did Gajeel downed his draft and stood up.

"Where are you going Gajeel? What about your company."

He raised an eye and looked at Levy who looked down. "Hate to be the bad buy but got to run Barman, put my drink on the tab."

Levy looked up surprised at his words and watched him leave,_ I don't mind playing the bad guy for now..._

"He's a good boy." Barman said more to himself then her but she looked up. "Seems cold and distant. But he has a good heart."

He walked away leaving Levy to contemplate his words. A_ good heart? _She wanted to laugh. If it was good he wouldn't have done all those things he had done to her. If it was good he would have let her escape all those years ago. He would have shown her that good heart. All he had ever showed her where those cold words and hard hands. Not these ones she sees now, the one that Wendy wasn't scares of when she sat on his shoulder when she couldn't see the show. It wasn't the hands that help a man fix his pipes or help her out of an alley. _Yes he did show you... _came the voice as she thought of his hand on her back the night of her burn. _And what about that he never raped you; maybe he hurt you to protect you. _She flashed the night he beat the man nearly dead that he caught trying to rape her. How he had carried her back to his room, even if he had beaten her later. _Even though you hide it you like his touch when he went at you-_

"I did not." She hissed her hands shaking. She looked down at her food, her appetite gone; she tossed a few coins on the table to pay for the untouched food and walked out the door almost in tears. Why did she have to and feel these emotions to the monster she hated?

* * *

He unlocked the door of his still nearly empty apartment and closed the door behind him. Not even taking the time to turn on the light h walked over and slouched on the couch pinching the brim of his nose.

She still hated him. Her cold shoulder and angry stares stated that much. He had hoped that maybe she'd warm up to him. That maybe she would forgive him after all those years.

He laughed at his stupidity, he nerves expected her to, and he had only hope naively that she would. He had hoped that when she had agreed that she'd tolerate him, and the times she had kept her word that maybe she had forgiven him a little bit. He had thought maybe she would relent her wrath after he heard her talk to herself that night he had accidentally eaves dropped on her that night, _relief_.

_'I don't think I could ever forgive you Gajeel.' _When she had said that he realized that she just might not ever forgive him.

_If you told her what you did for her she would like you._

"Like Hell." He said, he had made the decision to keep that quiet for the sake of her sanity. He had hoped that she would forgive him with out it but now that it didn't seem likely...

He stood up and went to the shower, he'd be her bad guy, and she can hate him if it meant he could still be near her. He deserved her hate, even if he didn't want it's better then what he should ask for. She can hate him but he wasn't going anywhere. Because maybe one day she would forgive him.

* * *

**So a really nice long rambling chapter... sorry out late, got really really sick.**

**I mean SO SORRY if you're like, what the hell did I just read?, this was harder to express in words then I thought it would be.**

** Levy fighting between her hate and fear of Gajeel and her uncertain love towards him that she believes is wrong because how do yo love a man that beat her willingly.**

**Gajeel in love but not doing anything about it, playing the bad guy if it means to be close to her like always. **

**IDK next chapter hopefully soon..**

**R&R**


	9. Chapter 9

Levy glanced over at the empty table in the corner and the door for what was probably the tenth time before leaving the guild herself.

_He still wasn't back yet..._

It had been five days since he and his new partner Pantherlilly had left for a mission. And it's been nearly a month since he's spoken to her.

_Was he avoiding her now?_ She wondered and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. Relief? Sadness? _It's not like he gave you any attention before technically,_ she thought,_ every time you met it was because of an accident really._

The first time he spoke to her since their encounter at the pub was when he got his cat Pantherlilly after the whole Edolas/parallel world incident. And even then it was with a crowd of people, not technically too herself so she couldn't actually call it speaking to her. He had locked eyes with her at the time but soon looked away like nothing had happened and continued on.

It hadn't been right away, him giving her the cold shoulder. After their meeting at the pub he had still looked at her, spoken a few times to each other to play the part of friendship to help him in getting along in the guild.

And there where his touches.

Whenever the guild was busy and he was walking by sometimes she'd feel his hand brush against her. When he would push by her in the crowds to get to the bar his hand would sometimes press against her bare back longer then was needed, or her shoulder, or arm sometimes. He wouldn't make eye contact when he did this though, he'd walk away like nothing had happen and she'd try to pretend it meant nothing as well. But his touch always left heat and she couldn't stop thinking about it for a while afterwards. Then he stopped getting near her, she stopped catching him looking at her. And soon she wasn't even able to get near him for them to have the chance to speak. It was like he went out of his way now to avoid her.

Has he really lost interest in her finally?

_~I'll be the good guy, for now...~_

_For now?_

_This is good,_ she assured herself pushing that thought from her mind. _This is what you wanted. To go your separate ways right?_ _He had his partner Lilly to go on missions with, someone who doesn't know of his past and is a good match for him, and you can continue your new free life in peace, with out him._

"Levy!"

_Or almost peace_. She turned around and saw Jet and Droy running up to her waving a paper.

"What's up guys?" She asked already guessing their excitement.

"There is a huge chess tournament next weekend in Birven!"

"And grand prize is 95,000 jewels!"

"For a chess tournament!" Levy gaped. In all her time with them one has never paid that much!

"Yeah, they are getting the best of the best, and me and Droy got invited." He waved to tickets.

"That's amazing you guys!" Levy yelled hugging each of them around the neck at the se time. "Am I allowed to come cheer you one?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Jet said holding up a third. "They gave us a guess pass, we'll two but we only want you to come." She jumped with joy, she really did like watching chess matches. Something about the strategic fighting of chess captivated her.

"I'll definitely be there!"

"You should be, being our good luck charm and all." Jet said and Droy nodded with agreement.

Levy blushed and smiled at the compliment. "Well, how about this lucky charm treats you guys to lunch?" She skipped ahead of them then turned raising a questioning eyebrow where they eagerly nodded. She led them towards the restaurant she had in mind asking them all about the tournament: how many people, any names she would know, rivals, and other events happening with it.

She was so caught up in the thought of it all that she didn't notice the skate boarder behind her. She was walking backwards when his wheel caught in a crack in the sidewalk and he fell forward. He fell into Levy and grabbed onto her vest trying stabilize himself but his momentum was to great and he pulled hard, causing her to spin, yanking her arm awkwardly and the fabric to tear as they both crashed to the ground and landed in a tangled mess.

"Ow." Levy groaned from her arm soar, from the weird position the hard fall landed here in. The skateboarder began to apologize profusely as he untangled from her and she mumbled her own.

"Get off her!" Jet yelled tugging him the rest of the way off her and throwing him back.

"Dude I said I was sorry, jeez!" He yelled and grabbed his skateboard and running off.

"You guys didn't have to be mean, it was an accident-" she looked around and saw Jet and Droy staring at her back with odd looks on their faces. She was about to ask them if a bug was on her when a breeze came up and she felt her vest sleeve flap loosely in the wind, her bare back tickled in its touch.

_Oh no-_ her worn out vest had torn all the way down when he grabbed it, causing it to hang open and reveal the mark on her back now completely exposed because she only wore a bikini top besides the vest. She turned around hastily and tried in some way to hide it but it was useless now.

"What is that Levy." Jet asked unmoving. She leaned against the wall to hide her scar and rubbed her soar shoulder nervously. She hadn't wanted them to see, or anyone to see in fact. Only Mira, Master, and Cana knew about it. Not even Lucy knew. "It's not what it looks-"

"I think it's exactly what it looks like, who gave you that mark." jet interjected, he looked angry.

"It wasn't Gajeel if that's-"

"That's exactly who I think it is!" He yelled and grabbed her shoulders. She let out a yelp; he grabbed her sensitive arm the wrong way.

"Jet..." Droy said and instantly Jet calmed down seeing the state Levy was in and let go. He sighed and shrugged of his jacket and laid it across Levy's shoulders. She smiled at him gratefully and took off her ruined vest and tossed it in the near by garbage.

"Thank you." She whispered and he nodded not looking at her. "I didn't want to tell you guys, I didn't want you to worry."

"We're your teammates levy, you should be able to trust us with anything."

"And I do! I trust you with my life." She tried to give them a gentle look. "But I didn't want you to be gentle with me, if you knew just how my life was there- I wanted you to know the me now, not feel sorry for the Levy back then. I didn't want anyone's pity. Especially you guys to."

"We wouldn't have." Jet mumbled and then looked at Droy before he sighed and smiled. "You just look stronger to me." She beamed back at them but stopped when Jets face grew serious. "But you still haven't told us everything, there was something between you and Gajeel. You're still hiding from us levy."

She looked at Droy and he nodded in agreement. "We want you to trust us Levy, and we want to be able to protect you. We're shadow gear, we look out for one another."

She felt tears coming. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "It's just complicated."

"We aren't as dumb as you might think." Droy said.

"I don't think you're dumb! I mean it's complicated for me. Can we sit down?" She asked and when they nodded she led them crossed the street to the empty benches in the small park. She sat in one and they sat in the other facing her. "You guys are right. Gajeel and I, we knew each other back then."

She was quiet but they waited for more so she let in a big breath and exhaled slowly, _I'm going to regret this._

"He was sort of my, well, my master." She whispered. She saw Jet shake and Droy clench his fists. "But listen, he kept me out of the guild house, he kept the other men from raping me." She couldn't tell them about the beating as his own sexual abuse. They would never listen. It would just come out worse then it had been.

_God, why an I protecting him to my friends? Shouldn't I be telling them everything? I should be asking them to protect me! Tell them everything! Isn't that what I'm suppose to do?_ And yet she continued. "If it wasn't for-"

"Then what about that mark on your back." Jet hissed. "Was that his doing too?" She hesitated a moment and that was enough. "That bastard! I'll kill him!"

"No! It was my fault! I tried to escape and Jose caught me, he marked me, Gajeel helped me afterwards." _Even though it was him who probably told Jose- stop! You're not making this any better Levy!_

Jet wouldn't listen. "He may have, but I know you're protecting him, he was a reason that mark is on you." He looked at her incredulously. "Why Levy? Why do you protect that monster? What has he done to deserve it?"

She gaped at his question. _What indeed?_ That is what she'd been asking herself all this time. "Master Makarov needs Gajeel's help, and only Gajeel can give it. I can't be the one to-"

"Screw the master if he's on that bastards side!" He was furious, angrier then shed ever seen him.

"Jet! -"

"I don't care, whatever the master has him doing ain't worth it. I want to give him a piece of my mind for what he's done for you, and then comes here like nothing happened."

"Don't fight Gajeel!" She grabbed his arm desperate; she'd never seen them this angry. "Please, for my sake. He hasn't ever come near me or tried anything. Whatever happened then is the past, we are nothing to each other now."

"That's not true, you're not nothing to him." Droy said quietly and Levy stared at him shocked. He looked at her and continued. "He still watches you Levy, now more secretively but he still watches you. We see it, sometimes."

"But I've never seen, you think I would have at some point."

"You never noticed," he shrugged. "And we never told you."

She was quiet for a moment;_ he still keeps an eye on me..._ "Even so he won't come near me, you've seen how he practically goes to the other side of the room. If he wanted to cause trouble he would have down it along time ago. He's been here for practically three months now." She looked up at Jet. "Please, he isn't what you think. For my sake and Masters, please drop it. It's my past and this is how I choose to deal with it."

Jet looked down at her a long while then finally sighed. He always lost when it came to her asking. "Fine, but if he so much as-"

"Thank you!" She said and flung her arms around him letting the jacket fall to the ground.

"You're welcome." He mumbled and hugged her back, Levy noticed with a twinge of sadness that he was careful not to touch her scar, he always hugged her around the shoulders but now it was lower and there was a moment of hesitance when he moved them lower. She pulled back and grabbed his jacket off the ground and slipping it on quickly.

"You guys still hungry?" She asked awkwardly trying to regain the mood before.

"I'm going to go for a walk." Jet said bluntly but smiled. "Cool down and all."

"Oh, okay." Levy said and Jet turned and walked off leaving her and Droy.

"It's a good thing Gajeel is out of town." Droy whistled as they watched him go.

"Do you think he'd have cause trouble?" Levy asked.

"No, _we_ would have cause trouble."

"Droy-"

He shrugged. "We care about you Levy. And whoever hurts you is our enemy."

"But Gajeel-"

"Relax, we won't do anything as long as he doesn't try anything. I'll try and keep Jet under control too."

Levy smiled. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He knocked her lightly on the side of the head. "Cheer up. We can't have our good luck charm in a bad mood. Why don't you go get cleaned up? We'll have breakfast tomorrow together, Jet will have flamed down by then."

She smiled tiredly. "Alright."

Droy turned to go.

"Droy?"

"Yeah?"

Levy shrugged. "Just be careful, okay?"

He smiled and nodded turning away. She didn't move from her spot until he disappeared from sight and stayed a few seconds longer before turning around and walking to her own home with jets words tugging at her mind.

_Why do you protect that monster?_

* * *

Gajeel opened the fridge in his loft grabbing a cold beer before sitting down on the couch. He pressed the bottle to his hot forehead for a moment of relief before popping the lid and taking a long drink.

"Not even back from the mission one night and already restless?" Spoke a voice and Gajeel felt the couch cushions shift and a flutter of wings as his new partner sat down on the back of the couch.

"What of it Lil?" He grumbled taking another gulp of the brown draft.

"In the short time I've come to know you, you always seem restless whenever we aren't on a job. Nearly every night you wake up and sit on this couch with a beer."

"Didn't think you'd notice."

"I'm an exceed, we are light sleepers." Was all he said and Gajeel could sense his shrug.

_Damn cat, hardly been two months already meddling with my life._ Not that he didn't like him, Lil and him actually got along well, when he met Lilly in Edolas he knew he had found his cat, just like Natsu and Wendy had theirs. And damn it if Lilly wasn't a great sparring partner too. The cat also didn't mind his silent attitude and crude words, easily shooting back with his own smart-ass comebacks. They could be polar opposites yet they teamed up perfectly. There was only one thing that pissed Gajeel off.

"Is it that girl you've been avoiding?"

That damn cat was a fucking meddler.

Lilly never asked about Gajeel's past but he suspected that Lilly figured out a lot of stuff from others around the guild when he wasn't looking.

"Who the hell are you talking about?" He grunted trying to play dumb but he knew the exceed wasn't fooled.

"That blue haired solid script Mage, Levy of course. I've seen the way your eyes wander to her but you never talk or-"

"It ain't any of your fucking concern who I talk to or not."

"Perhaps." He said with a sigh and he felt the exceed slide off the couch. "I'm going back to sleep, you can stay here and be miserable."

When he heard Lilly's door close he sighed and lied down on the couch draping an arm over his eyes letting the bottle dangle loosely in his fingers.

Lilly may be annoying but he did have one thing right though: it was her that kept him up every night. Images of her played in his mind. They moved from different images: her laugh with her new friends, the way she walked, her face when she scrunched her eyebrows when she was reading a book in the guild. Along with his own images of the girls body under him in countless ways...

But then there were the other images. Her cowering body under him as he beat her, the dead look in her eyes their last night together. The bruises on her arms, the feel of her cold body when he touched her, the night he almost let her be raped and the fresh mark on her back.

Those were the images that woke him up in the middle of the night like tonight. Those were the ones that cursed him in his sleep.

He thought there had been improvement in their relationship. She didn't seem to cower at his presence, and they could hold a small conversation around people. And he wanted to be around her. Actually he couldn't get close enough to her for his satisfaction back then. He tried to keep his distance. But she pulled his eyes toward her, her laugh attacking his ears, her strange scent making him curious to where she had been that day. He would hang in his corner of the guild and watch her as she went around doing her things, sometimes if it was busy enough he was able to get close to her, touch her skin and smell her intoxicating scent. He hadn't realize since coming to fairy tail just how much he had missed her presence. And he hated it when her two followers where near her, touching her when he couldn't. Actually, he would watch carefully when any man got near here. Not that he really thought they would do something, he blamed it as an old habit from Phantom Lord.

He knew it was wrong of him to want her so much but his body refused to listen to logic. He could call his actions stalker-ish, fuck they were who was he kidding, but he couldn't stop it.

But very soon, while his body craved her, his mind had different plans. Soon her image haunted him every night. He tried to ignore them, push them away to the deep recesses of his mind but they always climbed back up. He'd wake up at all hours of the night, jolted awake by those memories, and also of the nightmares of things that didn't happen but his mind created vividly in his head. Like he didn't need anymore of them.

All their time apart those images had never haunted him. So at first he had thought they would pass. He didn't want to think of them. He didn't want to remember the hell he had given her. Even if it had been his own sick way of protecting her like Juvia put it. But they drove him to the point where he couldn't be near her, the images would flash in his mind of her screaming when he heard her laugh, her eyes when reading changed to the dead ones he had created.

It drove him mad. He began taking any job he could, unconcerned of money, to get away, focus on the mission and not be near her. It helped and after finding Lilly and having someone to help keep him distracted on the jobs was even better.

_God dammit get yourself together! _he yelled at himself for the hundredth time. _It's not like she would ever come to actually like you, no matter how much you want it to. And now you can't even have the pleasure to be around her with out those fucking images haunting you._

He finished of the luke warm beer with a grimace and went onto the balcony to cool off in the crisp night air. He slid down against the wall so the few stragglers outside couldn't see him and he breathed in deeply the fresh air, ignoring the slight cold on his bare back and feet.

_Maybe these would go away if you actually confronted her... _He shook his head ignoring the voice, like that would have helped one bit.

Her image danced in front of his eyes, a good one, where she laughed and smiled.

He wanted that.

Not this hell.

It was those images that kept him here, not running off and breaking his contract with Makarov. It was sort of like when they were back at phantom lord. He wanted to let her free, but whenever she showed her real self he couldn't let her go. She kept him from letting her go.

But now it was turned around. She may not know it but it was she that kept him here. He would almost do it, leave that is, but then he'd catch her laugh, the good images that flashed in his head would strike, and he couldn't bring himself to leave.

He knew he had made himself his own prison, one he had the possibility to leave, but one he never could.

"God dammit Levy." He mumbled in defeat as he slid all the way down and looked up at the orange tinted low lying clouds above him, _it's going to rain later tonight,_ he thought pointlessly.

He would stay in this hell. For her.

He just didn't know for how long.

* * *

Levy let out a long yawn and rested her head on the table.

"Tired?" Asked Lucy glancing up from her journal.

"Mmm, stayed up reading late last night." She lied. In actuality, Levy was tired having been up most of the night with a restless mind. She had stayed up very late watching the Magnolia night under her balcony while she tried to figure everything out. It was almost driving her crazy the back and forth her body and mind was having, and it confused her to no end.

It wasn't until the clouds above her finally broke into a rain did she move back to her bed and passed out out of sheer tiredness.

Lucy chuckled. "Of course, I should have guessed."

"Hehe, yeah." Levy said closing her eyes.

"Where are Jet and Droy, I would have thought they'd be here by now?" Lucy asked idly flipping a page.

Levy opened her eyes and glanced at the clock, 2:33. _Where were they?_

"They weren't even at their apartment when I went to get them for breakfast." Levy said a little worried. _Relax Gajeel hasn't come back yet. _"They might have gone to the park to play against the old men that go there this time of the week"

"Ditching you for chess? Did something happen?"

"You could say that." Levy mumbled burying her head into her arms in thought.

"Huh-"

"A Levy, just the person I was looking for."

Levy's' eyes went wide and she looked up quickly staring at the black Exceed before her perched on the table. "Lilly?"

"Yes, I wanted to ask you about that book you mentioned before I went on the mission and- Levy are you listening?"

LEvy was looking around "When did you get back?"

"Late last night but-"

"Where's Gajeel?" Levy had ben looking around the room frantically.

"Gajeel?" Lilly asked confused. "I'm not sure, probably collecting supplies for our next mission.

"Another already? Didn't you guys just get back?" Lucy asked surprised.

Lilly sighed. "He can't sit still now days-"

"Where are you going Levy?" Lucy asked as her friend jumped up and went for the door.

"Ah, I forgot the book I was reading last night was due this afternoon! Sorry Lilly I'll get back to you on the book."

As she went out the door the two left behind looked at each other both equally confused on what just happened.

* * *

_Please please please don't do anything stupid you guys!_ She prayed as she made her way fast through the streets towards the park. _I hope they don't-_

There was a loud crashing noise as Levy reached the edge of the park. She hurried over to a banister and looked down seeing the scene before her. Jet and Droy where attacking Gajeel in the middle of one of the parks walk ways near the swing sets.

"Stop!" Levy yelled as she sprinted down the steps to the part of the park where they were. "Please stop!"

But her cries weren't heard as they continued to attack. She watched them as she ran down the stairs. Something was off; Jet and Droy were on the attack while Gajeel was on the defense? His body was already showing damage, _how long has this gone on? The place should be filled at this time of the day but it's deserted in this area? And they are all breathing hard._

She nearly reached the bottom when her foot slipped and she tumbled to the ground. A twinge in her ankle came to her but she gritted her teeth and stood back up, it wasn't that bad. She ran/limped over to the battle and rested against the tree behind Jet and Droy. "Jet, Dory! Stop this!"

"He's going to pay for what he did to you!" Jet yelled back.

"Droy! Stop it." She caught his eyes but he turned his back to her. "Jet's right. Plant transform!"

Gajeel caught a hard hit in the stomach for the plants and fell back on his knees, Levy saw the blood drip from his lip and her mind flashed to the night he fed her the Koma blood.

She shook her head. "I said it's not his fault!"

"You honestly think that!" Jet asked looking at her.

She glanced down at Gajeel who was string at her his cold dark eyes. His dark eyes.

"Yes." She said sternly then looked back at Jet. "Can't you see he's not fighting back!"

Jets eyes widened and was about to say something but before he could someone spoke to her right. "You being picked on huh?"

The park seemed to go dead as he spoke and Levy turned to see a tall blonde man standing there with a hard face. _Who?_

"Laxus!" Droy yelled.

_Laxus? _She knew the name well but she had never met the man. He was the Masters grandson, every one said he had a short temper and he and Makarov didn't get along very well now days. And also that he was one of the guilds strongest s-class mages.

"So... This guy is the punk that turned my guild into a mess." He continued as he walked towards Gajeel. "And that old fart, he let you join for some reason?"

Gajeel stood up but that seemed to make Laxus anger boil over, Levy watched as sparked began to encircle his body, _this can't be good._

"It's because of this that we're looked down on Dammit it!" A bolt of lighting shot out and hit Gajeel who blocked it but was still flung backwards. "Its all you fault!"

He attacked again, and Levy heard Gajeel in pain. She didn't want this! She had never wanted to hurt him! And watching him get beat up with out putting up a fight made it all the more worse.

"Laxus stop!" Levy yelled.

"Why isn't he fighting back?" Jet asked from her side to no one in particular.

"It doesn't matter how strong Laxus is he should be able to fight back." Droy said in answer.

Gajeel fell to the ground and Levy's heart lurched in her chest. "Can't you see now? He wants to show you he's not that man you think he is! He wouldn't fight back because he want to show he's our Nakama."

She moved forward in front of Jet and Droy, still limping slightly. She watched as Laxus went on with the attack, yelling insults. Yet Gajeel never lifted a hand in fight, only blocking his attacks. The voice in the back of her mind spoke up, _See? He isn't that man, he wants to change._

_Gajeel who are you? _God she was confused.

"Laxus stop this, you're going to far!" Levy Screamed over the sound of the lightning.

"Shaddup!" He yelled turning to them fuming. Levy glanced over at Gajeel to her right who was standing up breathing hard and beat up. "Little rift-raff like you should be quiet!"

The world suddenly slowed down in front of Levy's eyes as she watched Laxus raise his hand at her and lighting formed. She heard Jet and Droy yell to move but her body froze solid, her ankle suddenly feeling like it was stuck in cement. She watched as the charge blasted from his hand towards her and she lifted her arms in a useless attempt of a block and waited for the blast to hit her.

Instead she only saw a white flash from behind her eyelids and the feel of a slight static charge in the air around her. _What the? That couldn't be all that attack was- _She opened her eyes and found herself staring at the back of a large form in front of her.

She stumbled back in surprise, tripping on her weak foot and falling down on her backside. _How did he move so fast? _"Gajeel?"

"He protected Levy?" Droy whispered.

"You..." Jet started wide-eyed but closed his mouth.

The grounds were quiet except for the sounds of the city in the distance and Gajeel's heavy breathing in front of her. It wasn't until he stood up straight did he break the silence with a chuckle. "Is that enough? I've got work to do."

"Gajeel-" She said as she watched him walk by her. He looked her over as he passed, his smoldering red eyes checking her over, locking on her ankle a moment before turning away and closing. "Don't worry about me."

She watched from her spot on the ground as he picked up his bag and walked off. _What just happened? That wasn't the Gajeel who had been giving her the cold shoulder for a month. And definitely the one who would imprisoned her all those years. He wouldn't have done that for her. Why did he do that?_

"Ah," jet gasped and she looked around and saw Laxus walk away. _And he didn't even now who he was, yet didn't attack him? He fought Natsu many times in the guild house, but he wouldn't lift his hand in a real fight?_

"Levy are you all right?" Jet and Droy walked over to her holding out their hands and helping her up gently.

"Yeah, he blocked the attack." She said testing teh wieght on her ankle and found it hardly hurt at all now. She looked up at the two and was suddenly furious.

_..._

_SLAP!*_

_..._

Jet and Droy looked at her in shock, each hold their cheek in surprise.

"You idiots! I told you not to get involved, to not go after him! Didn't I say it wasn't his fault? Didn't you promise not to do anything rash?" Tears streaked her cheek. She was just so, so-

"Levy-"

"Yes he and I have a bad past, yes he had hurt me, but he has also kept me alive all those years. He has changed, just like I have! He is a part of this guild and our Nakama. He won't hurt me! Can't you see that! I don't want you to fight him. I don't want you guys to hurt each other."

The two looked down ashamed. "We only wanted to protect you, we didn't realize-" Jet started but she jumped forward and looped an arm around each of their necks and pulled them into a hug.

"Don't scare me like that again." Levy mumbled. "Please."

She felt them wrap an arm each around her tightly. "We won't. Shadow Gear promise."

Levy choked out a laugh and held them tighter, and they did the same, Jet wrapping an arm around her shoulders to bring her closer. "I still won't forgive him for what he had done to you."

"Jet-"

He pulled back and gave her his smile. "But I won't hold it against him, he's our guild member right?"

Droy laughed and looped an arm around Jet. "Yeah, just call it us just giving him a show of what would happen if he ever messed with any of us. A little initiation how about."

"You guys are cruel." Levy stood back wiping her eyes trying to hold back her smile. "So you'll try to get along with him?"

"I wouldn't go as far as us to be friends. But seeing him today I'll give him my grudging acceptance." He gave a glance at Droy. "And I'll take that back if he ever hurts you again."

"Same here!" Droy said to cheerfully.

"Guys!"

Jet shrugged. "What can we say, we are very protective of our good luck charm."

"Thank you." Levy whispered smiling. "Really, thank you."

"Whatever. Don't get all choked up about it." He mumbled blushing.

They stood together a moment when the bell tower struck three, jolting Levy out of her shock. "Oh! I left Lucy at the guild with out an explanation. I better get back to her or she might get worried."

"We'll come with."

"No, I mean," She didn't want them to some with, she put on her best smile but inside her her mind was in a huge mess. She needed clearing it and she couldn't so that with them.

"I want to talk to Lucy alone for a second. Why don't you guys get cleaned up? You still got all covered in dirt front eh fight." They looked down at their roughed up clothes for the first time. Levy laughed. "Can't let Magnolias best chess players go around looking like that."

"Hey now!" Jet yelled after her as she took off towards the guild laughing and waving goodbye.

They watched her go in silence until she was gone and awhile after she left.

"That idiot." Jet smiled as he sat on the grass.

"She likes him doesn't she?" Droy said following him. "Even if she doesn't realize it."

"Yeah." Jet sighed in defeat. "Who the fuck knows why though. And that bastard likes her too. We already knew that much. What the hell happened between them at phantom lord?"

"No clue." Droy shrugged. "But I still don't like him. I give it he isn't as bad as we thought him to be but-"

"He still did something to Levy." Jet finished.

"And if he does try anything to hurt her again I'm definitely going to kill him."

"Me too." Jet laughed as he looked at the direction Levy went, then in the opposite direction Gajeel went. He didn't like it, not one bit, and hell if he wasn't pissed off that her heart belonged to that bastard instead of him. But he always knew Levy would never see him like that, even without that man here. He couldn't see how she loved a man that had done that to her. Then again he wasn't there all those years she was alone with him.

Maybe Gajeel wasn't the monster he thought he was.

He wanted to laugh at his absurd thoughts. Yesterday he was plotting the mans death, now he was giving him consent to Levy. That girl had a way at making him bend to her whim. Even if he didn't agree to it. He always watched how Gajeel looked at her, he wasn't blind and stupid as some people might think when it came to that sort of stuff. He saw they way he looked at her. Not as an animal, or of one looking at a possession to take for himself. He looked at her the way Jet wanted to look at her, with eyes of a protector and one that loved her.

Maybe that's why he hated the man as much as he did. He had done all those thing to Levy, yet still looked at her that way. Was able to look at her that way.

He smirked standing up. "Come on, I need to get this off my mind and a game of chess and beer doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"And Levy?"

"Nothing. We'll keep an eye on her being the naive idiot she is but," he looked one last time towards the corner Levy turned around, "as long as she keeps smiling I won't care."


	10. Chapter 10

After she left Jet and Droy behind her did the smile started to fall from her face. And soon the confusion that has poisoned her all these months slithered in and settled back into its usual spot, smothering her relief and happiness.

_What had really just happened? Gajeel not fighting back? _He protected her, after she was sure he couldn't care less about her.

And then there was her standing up for him. She didn't want him to get hurt, when she saw what was happening she wasn't afraid for her friends anymore, she was scared for him . She remembered his smoldering red eyes looking her over; he looked at her ankle like he had known she had been hurt, when she thought no one had noticed it. _So why did he?_

_Why would he protect you?_

_What am I to him really?_

Jets words filtered through her head, _"He still watches you Levy, now more secretively but he still watches you..."_

The words sent shivers down her back and a small smile threatened her face. _He was still looking over me_, the thought made her heart leap and she felt a blush on her face in a way she never really experienced before. She remembered his gentle touches in the guild and the night he treated her mark. She remembered his bold red eyes and cool dark ones as he looked over her those years.

_What did it all mean? Does he actually care?_

_Or I am just imagining it all? _The thought left her with a cold sickening feeling that made her stopped a moment and rest against the side of a building. She pressed a palm to her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. "What am I doing?"

_You shouldn't think that, care? What about all he's done to you? _She yelled at herself inwardly. _No one in their right mind should be feeling what you're feeling Levy! What has he ever done for you to make you feel this? He enslaved you for years and acts like it was nothing! He beat you, played with you, he-_

_Arg! _She pushed herself of the wall and ran as if in doing so she could escape these thoughts but it was a useless attempt. She needed a reason. She wanted to screams and rip her hair out in frustration.

And she only knew one girl who could give her some light.

* * *

Gajeel stumbled through the door and closed it with a loud slam, nearly breaking it, and dropped his bag on the floor before falling onto the couch swearing loudly at the pain.

Fuck he had not expected that to happen today.

He still wasn't exactly sure what the hell had happened. He had been heading to the market to grab some stuff for the next mission when those two idiots out of nowhere ambushed him.

They started yelling at him about it being his fault, a danger, Levy, and other things he didn't exactly pick up on. Their sudden attack did catch him by surprised; after all this time and only now doing so? They could have had plenty of other times to come at him but never seemed interested. He could only wonder what had finally done it for them.

But whatever the reason he was sure in some way he did deserve some of it.

Even so he really wanted to teach them a little lesson. They were idiots to take someone on with an obvious power level higher than them. He could have taken them out easily like last time if he had really wanted to.

Yet he couldn't fight them though. For one reason Master had made him swear he wouldn't fight any of the guild members that tried to take revenge until his life was at stake (like if Erza had tried), but those two definitely didn't count on that level. And for a second reason if he had fought back that would have only proved their reasons to fight him all the more true. He wouldn't be any better than the person he had been back then.

So he let them take it our on him. They knew their magic he gave them that, he was starting to feel it there near the end, but it's was naturally weak attack magic, he could have held out until they grew tired.

And then she had to come.

He had hoped he'd be long gone before she, if she ever did, found out what happened. But then he heard her voice above him and he had seen her terrified face looking over the ledge down at them. Down at him he froze. He did want to see her, didn't want her to see him. But probably most of all he had ben afraid on how she'd react.

He had thought she'd want to take her revenge on him as well, especially seeing him and her dear Nakama in the battle.

He smirked at how an idiot he had been. She saw right through it all, she saw how he wasn't fighting back in seconds while those two didn't even comprehend it. She was begging them to stop attacking him, and it wasn't for their sake, but his_. _He could tell when he glanced up at her and he saw something in her eyes he had never seen before: she wasn't fearing him, she was fearing _for_ him. Her strong clear gaze told him all of it.

It had shocked him; he thought she hated him, that she never wanted to be near him again. And yet here she was, defending him, and it wasn't an act for his sake like there previous engagements. She was actually showing concern for the man that had done all those things to her.

_How the hell was that possible? Did she find out? Of course not, who would have told her? She couldn't even begin to suspect all those things._

_So she was like this even without knowing all those things?_

It honestly made him feel like he could take on the world but at the same time he wished the ground would swallow him up whole and send him to the lowest levels of hell.

_How could this girl care about me?_ He sure as hell didn't deserve it.

And before he could do anything else that blonde haired bastard showed up. He had seen his picture and knew it was that mans son and the Masters grandson. But he had never thought he'd get the crap beaten out of him in their first meeting. He wanted to fight back but something stopped him. He needed to show those two that he meant business. He wasn't his old self.

He was holding out, he'd take as much damage he could handle before striking back and getting the hell out of there. But just before that time the shrimp had tried to intervene. She had yelled at the man and he practically saw his world stop when the enraged man focused on her.

He saw Levy freeze up, he saw her leg waver on her bad ankle; he had caught her limping when she had neared them and how she had put her weight on the tree and knew she had injured it somehow. And he saw Laxus raise his hand.

He had moved even before he realized what he was doing. He used all his dragon speed and shifted his body into its scaled form and jumped in front of the shot. As it impacted he realized just how strong it was. It would have paralyzed the girl if it didn't stop her heart. Fuck he could still feel the bit of nerve damage it had caused him even now, along with the burns on his midsection.

He brought his hand to his torso and pressed the spot where it had directly hit him and grimaced, it hurt like hell. He knew he would have to take care of it sooner or later but lying still won out over getting bandages, they could wait.

At least it wasn't her lying on a bed somewhere again because of him. When he had heard her call his name in concern the relief that had swept through him, he had been able to stop the attack. When he had turned back to check on her he had to hold back a smirk at how she looked, sprawled on her ass, her mouth a gap, and her hair slightly frizzed from the static in the air was quite hilarious, despite the whole situation. The only injury she seemed to have sustained from the whole affair was her ankle, which he judged wasn't serious, and she had done that with her own damn clumsiness.

But she in a whole was safe.

He draped his arm over his eye as lighting flashed outside, the storm had come in suddenly as he had walked home and he had barley made it in when the rain began to pelt down. He had wanted to leave before it came but of course things didn't exactly go as plan.

He smirked as a thought occurred in his head, the action sending pain to his midsection but he ignored it letting an at least the small feeling of pride to fill him.

At least once in his godforsaken life he had been able to truly protect her.

* * *

Entering the guild as the clouds broke above her Levy looked around the room desperately and found her target on a stool at the end of the bar looking away form her at her usual suspect. Quickly she went up to her and grabbed her wrist tugging her away into the corridors to find a private place to talk away form everyone else.

"Levy? What is it?" Levy didn't say anything, not trusting herself until she got somewhere quiet. She found a storage room filled with chairs and tables pulled Juvia in and locking the door. "Levy what is wrong?"

Levy leaned against the door still not able to speak. She clenched her fist to try and keep the trembling in her body down and the tears at bay. Levy looked up at Juvia's confused face and when she saw it the tears fell. She hated showing her emotions like this. She use to be so cautious of it all, hiding everything, pushing them down and locking them away. But now days she couldn't control them, it was like she had suppressed them so much all those years now that they had a chance to be expressed she couldn't stop them.

"Levy?"

"Why Juvia why?" Levy yelled in frustration and she felt Juvia's arms come around her. She grabbed onto the water Mage tears falling out of her control. "I'm so confused."

"Is this about Gajeel?"

Levy nodded frustrated. "Juvia, why are always so nice to him! You know what he did to me at phantom Lord!"

"Because Gajeel is good." She said like she always did and it just infuriated her off all the more.

"But he's not!" She yelled in frustration. "Isn't he? He's not good. He kidnapped me and made me his slave, he beat me all the time, never said a kind word to me the whole time there, I'd never seen him give you the slightest affection either. Much less talk to you like a human being. And who knows what he would had done of if you hadn't hid me in the woods."

Juvia pulled away. "Well..."

Levy interrupted her and sat on one of the chairs in the storeroom. "But then why is he always saving me here? How can he laugh along with the other guild members? He even talks to you now! HE even seems to be one of Wendy's favorite people. And why does he always seem to be looking at me, actually look at me, something he never did there? Why does it look like he is gentle and worried about me? His gentle touch-" Levy grabbed her head and leaned forward. "Oh god I'm so messed up."

"Levy cares for Gajeel. Levy is not messed up."

"Aren't I though, for goodness sakes I don't know why but I'm-" She never said this out loud, much less admitted it to herself. She dropped her eyes and brought her voice into a whisper. "How could I be falling in love with that man? Isn't that messed up? A prisoner falling for her heartless master? That is not suppose to happen, it's all wrong!"

"Levy-"

"Oh god why do I feel this way! What's wrong with me! I hate that man for what he had done but at the same time I can't stop this betrayal of a heart to stop beating every time he gets near me now. Or for my face to go red at the thought of him- just what the hell is wrong with me? You're not supposed to fall in love with the man who does those things to you! You're suppose to hate them be terrified of him! I'm suppose to fall in love with someone caring and takes me away from someone like him! Isn't that how it's suppose to work? Gajeel is not suppose to be what he is acting like now! Just why is everything so messed up?"

Juvia grabbed Levy's face in her hands and lifted her up so she could look her in the eye. "Levy knows deep down that he did all those things to protect you. Gajeel loves you Levy. It's okay to love him."

Levy searched her eyes unbelieving yet at the same hoping beyond reason that what she said was true, she pulled her hands away and looked down, giving a harsh laugh. "I wish that was true Juvia, I know you like him and want to see the good in him. But I can't wrap around my mind how what he did to me all those years could possibly count as love-"

"Did you know that when Jose orders us to kill someone, we have to bring back a severed limb or the whole body or scalp to prove they are dead?" Juvia knelt in front of her, a sad smile on her face." Juvia said it calmly but it affected Levy the same way it would have if she yelled it at her.

She looked up at her wide-eyed in disgusted shock. "What?"

Juvia looked nervous, like she was saying something she was suppose to keep secret.

"Juvia tell me."

"I shouldn't be the one..."

"Juvia!"

"He couldn't let you go; it was either kill you or take you prisoner!" She blurted out loudly then covered her mouth in surprise. She lowered them after a moment and spoke calmly yet still hesitantly. "Especially since you were that mans daughter Jose would have wanted proof."

"Then why! Why did he do all those other things? He could have-"

"Levy you know that he bruised you to keep the other men away, you know that that is how it was. Even I know you know that much."

"But that just says he's possessive!" Levy cried. "He was so cold to me. Why did he come at me with rough hands and words? He never gave a sign of sincerity-" She thought about the night she was marked, and when she was sick or injured. "Despite those few times. He hated me. He came at me harshly. I didn't feel anything from him; he was just like the other men. Why didn't never gave me a reason to think he cared?"

"He couldn't show you the love he felt for you Levy, not in that world. It would have killed you."

"I don't understand? -"

"Levy, did you know there was another girl as Gajeel's slave before you?"

Levy looked up at her surprised. "I've heard it mentioned, but nothing else, what does she have to do with me?"

"Before you, there was another, and Gajeel was kind to her: kept her out of the guild house, didn't hurt her, kept her safe. He didn't love her, just didn't want her to get hurt, she was young like us at the time, all of us just children, hardly older then you when you first came. Gajeel wasn't a cruel person, even now he hates hurting those who don't truly deserve it." Juvia looked down. "But she loved him. And one day Jose found out that Gajeel was showing this sympathy and she held feelings. And do you now what he did?"

"No." Something told her that she didn't want to.

Juvia looked pained at the memory. Levy wanted to jump up and hug her but her body was frozen. "He took her from Gajeel, raped her then gave her to the other men to be raped. He then beat Gajeel half to death for showing such weakness." She clenched her hands and this time Levy did move over and hug the girl. She felt the water mages tears on her hair as she hugged her tightly.

"Then he killed her in front of him. In front of us." She whispered.

Levy looked up at Juvia and saw the pain in her face and knew that it was all true. It appalled her. "Why didn't you tell me this all those other times? I should have had a right to know!"

"Because I didn't want that to happen to Levy as well!" Juvia pulled away wiping her tears and Levy looked up at the girl surprised when she didn't use her third person talk. "Gajeel didn't want that to happen again. He kept you safe by being cold to you. And soon you were different to him; he fell in love with you. I saw it, even when he hid it from me. You never saw the look of distress on his face after you left with fresh bruises; you never saw how he watched you when he caught you sleeping when he came back. You never saw how he refused my help with his injuries so he could have you heal him. He never showed you any of it, he never wanted to show anyone, and I noticed it when he thought no one was looking. Because he couldn't bear to loose you."

"I had no idea." She whispered. "But why do you tell me this now. Why can't he tell me?"

"Because Gajeel still thinks that you could be hurt if you knew."

"But Jose is gone! What is he protecting me from?"

Juvia looked hesitant. Finally she said it. "You."

"What?"

"Remember the night he poisoned you?" Levy nodded and Juvia rung her hands, "It was him that hid you in the forest, it was him that wanted to protect you from the coming battle. He drugged you so you'd go quietly and if he didn't come for you, you could wake up and escape."

"Why didn't you tell me you did it back then?"

"... He asked me to keep it a secret."

"But why! Why couldn't he tell me these things himself? If I knew-"

"You would have thought he was lying." Juvia said bluntly and the words stung at the truth in them.

_Would she have? _And she feared that Juvia might be right. Would she have acted the same if he had told her? Or even if Juvia explained it back then?

"He didn't want you to feel this confusion. He didn't want to hurt you anymore." Juvia voice went into a low whisper. "He's always been a bad guy for you."

"Why do you tell me this now though? Only when I come begging for answers. Why didn't you tell me all this time he's been here, all this time I could have skipped all this confusion. You of all people should have seen the confusing it all brought me."

"Because I wanted Levy to find her rainbow by herself."

"Juvia?"

"Just like levy let me find mine." She took out of her pocket a folded up piece of worn paper. It was the torn out page she had given her of the rainbow. "I found mine after I met Grey-sama. Now I want Levy to look up and see hers."

She handed it to Levy who took it from Juvia with a shaky hand. She looked down at the paper and a teardrop fell from her chin onto it.

Levy dropped the paper and brought her hands to her mouth to surpass the crying as she fell to the floor. _He did all that for me, all those years, he was always protecting me._ Emotions crashed inside her, relief, anger, happiness, fear, horror, confusion, and love. It all came at her at once like a giant wave.

And then it went away. She was left with only one emotion.

Ashamed.

As she thought it she realized that she had known all along. Maybe not the detail like Juvia had, but she knew his intentions. She thought back to all those times, his eyes as he did all those things, his gentle touch on her back, his harsh words that kept her safe.

His eyes. His smoldering red one, his pure red, the bright red, the black one, and all the colors in between. She had seen them all. But only a few have ever been directed at her, and she only realized now what they all meant.

He loved her.

She must have known then as well but had refused to believe. She hated herself for not seeing it all.

"Gajeel." She choked out in a sob and she felt Juvia bend down and hug her. "I never knew, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay he didn't want you to know." Juvia comforted bending down and squeezing her shoulder.

...

"She's right." The two looked up and saw the door open and Cana standing there.

"Cana?" Levy said wiping her eyes.

"I also, knew, how he cared about you."

"How?"

"You remember when I said you didn't want to know how I escaped?"

"Cana-"

"I was going to take you with me, but when I went to find you on the night we could escape he caught me going to you. He made a deal with me: he'd let me escape if I left you with him." She looked down ashamed and the three fell quiet. Levy looked up at Cana unbelieving. "At first I was always confused at why he wanted you so much, but after he came to this guild I confronted him, and it was then I found out. That's why I was so angry he was here. He never chose himself over you. But I did."

Levy looked at the older girl who stared down at the floor, fiddling the bottle in her hand. Even she knew, did everyone know besides herself?

"I would have done the same thing." Levy said wiping her tears away.

Cana looked up and smiled. "No you wouldn't have, even if you tired to convince yourself otherwise back then you could never leave someone like that."

"Cana!" Levy jumped up and hugged the older brunette tightly, she felt her hug back.

"Sorry."

"Don't be, I could never be angry over that."

Cana laugh, "Of course you wouldn't, that's why everyone falls in love with you. Even those two idiots."

"They're not idiots." Levy protested and Cana laughed. "Even if they did go and start a-" She opened her eyes wide and stood back. "Gajeel."

"What?"

"Jet and Droy, they went and started a fight with Gajeel then Laxus came and- I have to go."

"What!" Cana yelled.

"Wait, Juvia is confused."

"Laxus? He's back?"

Levy ignored their questions. "I'm sorry, I need to go find Gajeel. I'll explain it later I just have to do something."

"Alright, be careful."

Levy stopped in the door way and probably for the first time ever with concerning Gajeel, she gave a genuine smile. "I know I'll be safe."

* * *

She stood in front of a dark oak door and gave out a small breath calming her nerves. It wasn't that she was scared of what was behind the door, she was nervous because she didn't know how to act in. _What am I doing?_

Gathering her nerve before her thoughts won over she knocked.

"What do you want shrimp?" She heard a low voice snap through the door.

She opened it surprised by the response and peered in it was pitch black except for the beam of light cracking through the door around her. "How did you now it was me?"

She couldn't help but wonder.

"Who said you can come in?" The same voice said and when she didn't reply or leave he continued. "Your knock, it the same distinctive. Plus I smelled the two nimrods on you and I knew _they_ wouldn't be here so I guessed it was you."

She thought about that statement. "Why didn't you just smell me?"

"Eh? It's cause you don't have a distinct scent like everyone else. You smell like wherever you've been, like I can tell you where in the guild most of the day, usual with your two followers." She never knew that about her. And she was pleased he knew.

"And why am I defending myself!" he growled. " You're the one who barged into my apartment!" She heard him gasp in pain and his voice calmed down. "Didn't I say to get lost I don't want you here."

She opened the door wider and saw him laying on the couch an arm over his eyes. She saw he hadn't treated his wounds and she saw the scorched hole and red skin in the middle of his chest. She looked for a light switch and turned it on before closing the door.

"You may not want me but you need me."

"What the hell does that mean?" He said taking his arm off to look at her.

She immediately took in the dark black-red of his eyes and though he looked angry she knew he wasn't, a chill went down her back. Blushing slightly out of nerves she held up the med kit she brought. "I wanted to come to apologize and say thank you for fixing up your wounds, it's the least I can do since you're so bad at it. I brought this just incase. And it looks to me you could use some medical attention."

He stared a while longer then sat up and growled. "Why should you bother."

"Does there have to be a reason?" She pulled off her long rain jacket and hung it on the hook above where he had dropped his bag and moved to kneel on the couch next to him and opened up the medical kit.

"No," he said leaning forward resting his arms on his legs. "But I could think of a few reason why not too."

That stopped her. She looked up and saw Gajeel looking at her and she her stomach tighten, had he always looked at her in such a way? Now that she knew what it all meant it was like seeing him for the first time. And she wasn't scared of him, or angry with him. She wasn't confused of her emotions like she had been.

"Its your eyes." She stated boldly and it had caught him off guard, she saw surprise on his face for a glimmer of a second before it hardened again.

"Eh-"

"The reason I came, or why I didn't listen to the reason why not to come. It's your eyes."

When he didn't say anything She continued. "Your eyes, they are dark at the moment. But they change color with your emotions, even if you try to hide them. It's subtle, but after spending so much time around you I've noticed the slight differences."

She walked over to the sink and filled a bowl of water before coming back setting it on the coffee table and sat on the couch beside him and picked up some gauze and burn ointment. "I hadn't really thought about it back then but I've realized now I've always known subconsciously."

She reached up to clean the gash on the side of his face but he grabbed her hand. She wasn't scared, not anymore. "Like now. I'm not scared, if you where truly angry or dangerous they would have been bright red." She pulled her hand away from his keeping her eyes locked on his. "They are black. With just a hint of red."

Her voice trailed off as she stared and without thinking about it she touch his cheek just under his eye. "Like a deep red wine."

She shook her head pulling her hand away blushing she had just said that._ That was stupid to say! _She leaned back and crossed her arms, trying to change the subject from his eyes, the ones still gazing at her fiercely. She had to remember that he didn't know all she did. "Plus we are Nakama now. We lean on each other for help, this is the least I can do for you. So are you going to take off your shirt and let me heal that burn I know you have or are you going to be stubborn about it and make me leave."

He growled again but he didn't have anything to say to after that. Hell, what was he suppose to say after that?

"You're a lot more talkative now shrimp." He grumbled and she gave him a look that made him laugh. Bad move, laughing hurt like hell, he stopped with a gasp and groaned. "Dammit that guy can throw a punch."

"Come on then." She said and he gave her a look before taking it off. She grimaced and looked closely at the middle of his chest. "Lucky, how did you block so much of the attack, it was dead on."

"Dragon scales, he was able to break through it though and cause some damage."

"Oh, right." She has seen him cover himself in those metallic scales. "Still they blocked most of the burn. Only few spots of second degrees. Plus looks like you might have broken a rib or two, they haven't shifted though."

She spread the ointment over the burns and his body relaxed as the pain began to subside and he gave out an involuntary groan of relief. As she wrapped it in the special cloth to help with the healing he chuckled.

She looked up curious.

"Just like old times." He mumbled staring down at her with a half smirk.

She nodded "In a way." She had been thinking back to the night he had put this stuff on her. She still remembered how his hands felt on her back, so gentle...

She finished wrapping his chest.

"Here." She held of a cloth to his face. "Hold this to your face while I finish with your other burns."

He pressed his hand softly over hers and she felt her face turn red, _curse these emotions! _She thought and pulled away focused again on her work. "I'm sorry about Droy and Jet, they always get very protective."

"I'm glad someone is."

That caught her. She flicked her eyes over to him and she saw him still watching her intently, it was the same way he always watched her, but different again. It really was amazing how just understanding it all changed her view of him so quickly. She looked away and focused on her work. "Still, I saw how you didn't fight back, I wanted to thank you. They get a little head strong and sometimes don't realize just what they are doing."

He grunted. "You need to tell them not to mess with mages stronger then they are."

"Yeah." She sighed. Sadly that wasn't the first time they had done that.

He didn't say anything to that and she let him have his silence. It gave her time to figure out how to bring up all she knew. As she cleaned away the blood and dirt did she noticed new scars she had never seen. "Been getting into trouble since phantom lord?"

"Gihi, maybe, had a few ends that needed tyin' up. And working for the old mans son ain't easy work in its own."

_Oh,_ _right._ She came across a few other ones, ones obviously not taken care of. "You need to take better care of yourself."

"Worried about old Gajeel?"

"Of course I am."

"Did you worry about me back then?"

She glanced up. "A little." She saw him smirk. "But don't let that go to your head, it was more for my benefit, if you died then I would have had to work in the main guild."

She wrapped the last bit of his arm and tied it off. "Besides I always worry about everyone. You're just one more."

She nodded to injury on his forehead. "Take that cloth off your face so I can take care of it."

He removed it and she leaned in close to inspect it. "Won't need stitches at least." She muttered.

"What would I do without you?" He praised sarcastically.

"I'm not always going to be around."

"And yet here you are."

"Ah-" she floundered then shrugged. "I guess so. But still." She stuck the bandage on and sat back proud of her work. "There!"

She looked over his body checking for anything she missed before landing on his face and locking eyes with his. He suddenly reached out and grabbed her chin strangely gently. "Have you been crying?"

The question honestly surprised her. It was the first time he'd ever asked something that sincere. He was changing right in front of her eyes.

"Yeah, but it's better now." She said pulling away and busied herself with cleaning up the med kit between them. They were silent for a long moment; the only sound that broke it was the rain outside the window and the occasional thunder rumble. _Where the heck did that storm come from? It had been sunny all day._

As she finished up she realized this was probably the longest conversation they had ever had with each other. He had been avoiding her and well, she had hated him back then. But ever since she started bandaging him up she hadn't felt him trying to avoid her, and of course she wasn't scared and angry with him so there wasn't that tension. He had talked to her like it was normal of him to-

She heard him chuckle and it stopped her trail of thought. Glancing up she saw his eyes had turned a pure red.

"My eyes?" He raised an eyebrow unbelieving.

She blushed. "It's stupid I know."

He leaned forward his face more serious. "Tell me than. What do my eyes give away now?"

She looked away, his stare made it hard for her to breath. _What was he thinking? _Honestly even now she couldn't read much into his actual thoughts.

He moved closer placing a hand on the top of the couch beside her. "Are you scared?"

That made her look up and her breath caught, his face was a hands width away. She could feel his hot breath tickle her cheek. The pure red that locked with her own she knew didn't mean danger. She had seen them a few times so long ago. She definitely was not scarred. She knew exactly what they meant. But she wanted him to tell her it. She may have learned everything form Juvia by forcing the girl to tell her. But she needed him to admit it as well. She brought a hand up and touched his cheek, "Tell me Gajeel. When you, hurt me-."

He growled and moved away. Wrong thing to say. It obviously hit a delicate nerve in him. His reaction actually made her surer.

"Wait." She grabbed his hand. He pulled away.

"Get lost, I didn't want you here in the first place." He said in his cold voice as he started to walk to his room.

"Was it to protect me?" She pushed. He had to say it himself. She wasn't going to let him be the bad guy any longer.

"How would you call that protecting you?" He stopped but didn't turn around.

"You tell me."

"I wasn't." He said snapped and started to move away again. "I don't know where you could have gotten such a ridiculous idea-"

"Cause you care about me." She whispered quietly but the dragon slayer still heard and froze in the doorway to his room his hand gripping the frame.

He looked back. "What?"

"Why did you always protect me?"

"You're getting confused, I sure as hell didn't protect you-"

"Yes you did! The other men at the guild never touched me, when ever they saw your bruises they let me be. Also, you never sexually pushed me far. You always stopped. Like the night I was marked." He flinched at that and looked away. "You stopped them from raping me and then took me away and didn't harm me either, you even helped me afterwards. Kept me safe in your room when I was weak. And again when I was sick."

"You call that protecting you?" Gajeel snarled. He seemed angry, but not at her. At himself she realized. It made her even surer about this.

"Gajeel."

"You think I cared!" He stormed back to her, bending down and trapping her with his arms on either side of her, his force jolting the couch back slightly. "If I cared about you like you claim why didn't I let you go then? What did I ever do to show you I cared?"

Why did he want to be the bad guy still? Is he still thinking the truth would hurt me? _But this hurts more though, when you push me away. This isn't protecting me! _She wanted to tell him but more so she wanted him to admit it without her putting the words in his mouth. "Why didn't you-"

Gajeel leaned in and kissed her. It was hard and forced at first but then he soon softened his lips. A hand came from the back of the couch and tilted her head as he deepened the kiss leaning over her and pressing her into the back of the couch. His fingers tangled into her hair, not painfully and she felt his tongue press against her lips and into her mouth. Levy was shocked; she couldn't do anything but follow his lead. After a moment she relaxed to what was happening and kissed back getting a low growl out of him. Even if he still had a lot of explaining she couldn't control the relief, heat, and pleasure the kiss brought to her. It was definitely different from all the other kisses he had ever given her.

She brought a hand up and tugged at his shirt in an attempt to bring him closer but her movement brought him out of it and he pulled back sharply. He looked up at her his eyes pure red. He was breathing hard just like herself.

"Gajeel-"

"Get out." He said turning around.

"No, I won't-"

"Get out!" He reached back and grabbed her arm pulling her off the couch and practically dragging her to the door.

"Gajeel! Wait!" She said stumbling over her feet to keep up with him. He pushed her out and she heard the door slam shut behind her. She spun back to the door and tried the handle before banging on the door. "Why do you keep pushing me away Gajeel! Why are you so intent on being the bad guy!"

"Get lost Levy!" She heard him yell through the door. "You don't know what saying."

"Yes I do and no, I'm done running! I'm done being lied to and pushed away. Juvia told me everything Gajeel, I know about the girl before me, and I know now that why you did all that, it was all for my sake!" She looked at the door. "That you were cold to me to protect me from Jose, that you hated it every time you put a bruise on me, that you carried me into the forest that night not Juvia. I know everything now."

It was silent, but as she listened she heard something slide against the other side of the door and realized Gajeel must have moved to sit the floor.

"And you believed her?" He asked through the door and it was a question of honest surprise and not of laughter: like he couldn't believe she had fallen for that.

"Yes," She bent down to where she thought his head would be and pressed her forehead against the smooth oak. "And in a way I had known all along, like your eyes. I hadn't known why or how but I had the feeling. It was why, even thought I couldn't understand it, I was falling in love with you even before I knew it all. Looks like we both hiding our true selves there Gajeel."

It was silent. He didn't say anything. After a long pause she spoke up. "Gajeel?"

No reply, she began to panic. "Gajeel?"

She looked at the door nob and unlocked it like she had on Masters door. "Gajeel I'm coming in."

She opened the door and looked into the empty room. She felt fear seep into her as she ran in towards his room and her heart froze. The window was wide open; the curtains flying in the wind form the storm growing outside. She ran to the window and was pelted with rain and wind as she looked around frantically for his figure. She saw a large dark shape disappear over a rooftop. She yelled his name but it was lost in the wind.

She whirled around and ran back out, not taking the time to grab her jacket but enough to notice that his bag had disappeared. Had she made a mistake? Did juvia misinterpret his actions? Had she?

_That kiss though-_

Afterwards she thought he had been angry, but she had mistaken it. He had been scared at what he had done. She had never seen that so she hadn't realized it back then and confused it.

He had ben scared of what he had done.

She came to the street and ran in the direction he had left, immediately getting soaked. _Why now, after I find out everything? Why was he running away?_ Did he really lose interest in her?

_Gajeel you stupid idiot! _She came to the corner of where she had thought he had dropped and looked around the long deserted street. She swiped the hair from her face and looked around hopelessly.

"Gajeel!"

* * *

Gajeel had faced deadly monsters, hordes of vile men, dark and legal guilds, dragons and has nearly killed himself so many times in his life he had lost count. And in all that time he had never been scared to stand his ground. He had never thought to turn away from a fight.

And he still hasn't turned his back on a fight he knew he couldn't win. He still as never walked away.

No.

He had fucking ran in a full panic while the enemy had his back turned.

And what made it worse was that it wasn't even a fight of fists against some huge terrifying beast. It was of words; against a small girl who at that moment had him wishing it was the beast there and not she.

_She knew_. Those two words flittered through his mind as he walked at a slow pace on one of the roads leading away from the town, the rain still pelting down above him and thunder cracking. _She knew everything._

When she had turned up at his door he couldn't believe it. At first he had tried to get rid of her, not wanting to be around her and also didn't want to know what her intentions were. But when she refused with her innocent demeanor and her wanting to help him he fell under her power. He became so relieved for her to be there on her own friendly terms that he couldn't even remember all those reasons he'd been wanting to push her away. She had been so comfortable around him he had thought he had been dreaming. It caused him to act bold and talk to her like he had always wanted to, where there were no barriers between them. And when she had mentioned about his eyes he could hold himself back.

She knew something about him even he hadn't known.

And then she said all those words. She asked about things he thought she never noticed. Things he had hope she never question. She had sat there demanding him to say something. To confirm her words.

And he did. He hadn't even realized what he had done at first and when he did he couldn't stop. The taste of her had driven him over the edge, and when she had started to kiss back he felt something inside him threaten to release. He hadn't realized just how much he wanted her to kiss him back until that moment. And he wanted to do nothing but take her right then and there. Just the memory tempted him to turn around and find her again, her taste and feel still flooded his mind.

But when she tugged at his shirt his mind had turned back on. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He had given up on her ever excepting him, and yet she had gone and kissed him back. He was terrified at his own thoughts, if she didn't leave they would both regret it. He would have allowed her to fall in love with that monster if it meant he could have her if she didn't leave then.

And he couldn't let that happen. So he had pushed her out before his body overruled his reason. It was what he had feared: she would twist the image of the monster into a saint.

Or so he had thought.

It turns out she really did know everything. Juvia had told her (he was surprised Juvia had known so much but then she was always a scarily good spy) and what's more she had believed her.

She had fallen in love with him because of all of that. With just knowing that she had forgiven him for everything else. He knew that when she said she loved him. She loved him, she had said it. She had fallen for his true self, not that monster he had been. She didn't make him a saint; she didn't make him a monster. She saw him. It had shocked him worse then Laxus's lighting.

And isn't that what he had wanted? Wasn't that his whole reason for getting on the masters good side?

_So why the fuck did you run away?_

"Gajeel!" A voice broke through the rain and he whirled around and of all things he saw a small figure running after him. _How the hell did she find me?_

He stopped in his tracks and allowed the girl to catch up to him, he noticed how her feet where surrounded in ruins, so that explains how she could get here so fast, but it didn't explain how she knew where to go or why she had come. He looked over the drenched girl in her rain jacket and she seemed to be soaked all the way through. She was breathing hard and her face was red from the running and the wind. Her hair was plastered around her face and forehead; it was longer when it was yet he noticed.

"Where the hell do you think you're going!" She yelled over the rain. "After all that without an explanation."

"How the hell did you find me?" He yelled back.

"Don't you dare change the subject Gajeel! Explain. Now!"

_In the middle of a fucking storm? _He could barely hear her. But he knew she wasn't going to budge without an answer. And damn she was asking teh same question he was trying to figure out himself just a moment before she showed up.

"Because you fucking deserve someone better then me!" There he said it. And god dam it wasn't it one hundred percent true. She never deserved the life he gave her. She deserved so much fucking more then him.

"But no one else has done as much as you had done for me." She said simply, walking closer so they could hear each other better. And by closer he meant barely a foot away. She looked up at him with her brown burning eyes and he couldn't help but stare back. And looking in those eyes he had to say what he could never say.

"I'm sorry." He blurted out. "I'm sorry I never told you anything. I'm sorry that you had to live that hell I made for you. I'm sorry that you ever had to meet me. I'm sorry I could never let you go. I'm sorry that you love a man like me-" She reached up and blocked his worlds. But he had said it. It doesn't excuse a single thing he did but he had to say it. He was, all of it was true. He didn't want to say it for her forgiveness. He just wanted her to know he was.

"I know."

And of course she would know all that. He pulled her hand away and dropped it. "So what do you want from me?"

"I want us to finally understand each other. I want you to know that I am grateful for all you've done for me. I want you to know that I've fallen in love with you. I want to know what you actually feel about me." She smiled. "I want us to see eye to eye."

He couldn't help but smirk. "That last one might be a little difficult shrimp."

She grinned and brushed some rain off her face as she looked up at him. "And what about the other parts?"

He reached forward and grabbed her chin gently, giving her a moment to change her mind. But she didn't, instead she held his gaze as best as she could through the rain. He smirked before he pressed a soft kiss on her lips. She kept still this time; probably afraid he'd pull back like last time. But he wasn't, she had made him play his cards and she had won. He had lost to her.

He grabbed her waist and lifted her up and she gave out a gasp before looping her arms around his neck. He grinned against her lips before deepening the kiss, the rain around them seemed distant, growing dim as he got caught up in the small form in his arms.

He hooked an arm around her upper legs and tangled the other into her soaked tangled hair taking in her heat. She kissed him back and damn it if he didn't grow crazy at the feeling. He probably would never get over the fact that she was kissing him freely. That he could kiss her without holding back. And as he did the tormented images and feelings he felt all these past months slipped away. Years of pain and torturing himself melted away. They would never go away, no, he wouldn't allow himself to forget. But maybe, he thought as he kissed her, maybe he can finally do something right.

Finally he pulled away and she rested her forehead against his.

"How does that answer your question?" He said bringing his hand to the crook of her neck and rubbing the wet skin of her cheek.

"Quite well." She breathed with a smile and he probably wouldn't have been able to hear her over the rain if she hadn't been so close.

He grinned up at her when suddenly something landed on his shoulder. He turned to see Lilly sitting there with a grin on his face and Levy laughed. "Well this is a very touching scene! I haven't seen a good kiss in the rain in a long time."

Gajeel swore and Levy laughed as he dropped her and whacked the cat off of him. "What the hell is he doing here?"

The Exceed recollected himself and jumped in Levy's arms. "How else do you think told her where to find you?"

Levy blushed deep red. "He sort of found me back at your loft and told me you were probably going on the mission, which is in this direction. I sort of just ran faster then him!"

For once in his life, and probably the only time it will ever happen, he was grateful that cat was a meddler. He watched as levy rubbed the cats head before lifting him back to Gajeel's shoulder. "See you when you get back Lilly!"

"What?" He yelled over the rain confused.

"We still have a mission to go on." Lilly helped. "You just had to take a request we can't turn down."

_Like hell I'm going on a mission you lousy cat-_

"Yes you are going on that mission." Levy said sensing his thoughts. She stepped forward and tugged him down her a quick kiss. Then spoke in his ear so he could hear her over the rain. "Just get back fast. You have to cheer me on in the talent show."

He smirked. "Count on it."

* * *

**Okay that was a long chapter, sorry if its a little ****confusing or repetitive and grammar. Was complicated to write and I did my best.**

**Also did I have this happen to fast? I mean they had been dancing around each other for months but idk.**

**Hope you all enjoy it! I still have more to write. **

**Who knew that I had planned to only write five chapters and now I'm up to ten! (whoops)**

**R&R **

**and thanks for all the review so far! **

**Less than three!**


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